In addition to the Rods from God, some of the other possible space weapons include systems of lasers and mirrors that permanently blind spy satellites or "dazzle'' them temporarily. There are also "passive defenses'' for satellites that would protect them from jamming attacks or physically harden them to protect against lasers or other destructive rays.

"If the United States chooses to go the route of space dominance, other countries will look at ways to make sure it doesn't happen, and we'll be back in another arms race,'' said Mike Moore, contributing editor of the Bulletin of Atomic Scientists.

Rep. Dennis Kucinich, D-Ohio, has introduced a bill that would bar the United States from placing weapons in space but allow it to keep spy satellites.

"If we worked together toward creating peace on earth, we would not have to bring war to the high heavens,'' Kucinich said Thursday in introducing his bill.

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