Simultaneously, the US officially withdrew from the AMB treaty, June 13th, 2002.
The following quote indicates why the US needed to leave the AMB treaty for the deployment of Brilliant Pebbles. So its interesting "coincidence" that SpaceX wasn't really started until the US officially left the treaty. Indicating that this same treaty hampered SpaceX as well.
China certainly seems to think, as I do, that Starlink, or really starshield, can be used as an ABM system. Add those laser systems the US is having tested and sure enough it is. In fact I think SpaceX was founded specifically with that in mind under the guise of going to Mars. As ive shown with indirect evidence, Dr Griffin (a DoD & SpaceX consultant) was the real brains behind SpaceX and Musk. https://hackaday.com/2023/06/22/china-plans-its-own-megaconstellation-to-challenge-starlink/
Why doesn't Elon just fly one these to Mars? Or can you not create a Vortex in Space? Notice these were invented and flying prior to 1946 when first seen by public. i.imgur.com/LTAB0rc.jpg If image doesnt load click link.