Parsons, who was in command of the mission, armed the bomb during the flight to minimize the risks during takeoff.

Outer space is an equally unique environment, the weaponization of which will surely serve mankind no better than the militarization of Antarctica.

The killing of Osama bin Laden last year required an actual hit squad to verify its success, but normally assassinations can be left to drones unmanned aircraft, mainly used for surveillance, but which can be armed with computer guided missiles. Not surprisingly, the US is the leading developer and user of drones, with a fleet of 7,500.