The resolution was adopted after 122 countries voted in favor of Russia's initiative, with 50 voting against and four abstaining from the vote.
The resolution, dubbed No First Placement of Weapons in Outer Space, urges all states and particularly those with "space capabilities" to consider the possibility of "upholding, as appropriate, a political commitment not to be the first to place weapons in outer space."
The UN General Assembly is urging the early start of substantive work on the basis of an updated draft treaty on the prevention of placement of weapons in outer space, according to the text of the resolution. The draft treaty was submitted by China and Russia at the Conference on Disarmament in 2008 to prevent an arms race in outer space as an urgent task.