Contrary to popular opinion in the U.S., America is not a Space leader.  Japan landed a probe on an asteroid.  Russia beat the U.S. to space, to manned space flight, and to venus.<p>Most of the U.S.'s belief in its universal superiority is fluff.  I don't doubt at all that china and india will overtake the U.S. in space exploration in the coming decades.  If commercial endeavors are going to go to space, why would they waste their money over paying washed up NASA scientists to do it when they could go to china or india just like they do for Nikes and cars and everything else pretty much.<p>The entire supply chain is in asia, what does the U.S. have left?  Guns.  That's about it.  Guns.  No room for butter -- move aside.