What did UN Resolution 1884 (XVIII) prohibit?

• A. The placement of all weapons of mass destruction in orbit around the Earth
• B. The testing of all nuclear weapons in the ocean
• C. The deployment of all anti-satellite systems in space
• D. The construction of space-based weather stations

Answer: (A)

The main idea here is keeping outer space free from weapons of mass destruction. UN Resolution 1884 (XVIII) prohibits placing weapons of mass destruction in orbit around the Earth, establishing space as a domain to be used for peaceful purposes rather than a battlefield. This aligns with later space law, including the Outer Space Treaty, which codifies that WMD should not be placed in orbit or on celestial bodies.

The other options don’t fit this specific prohibition: testing nuclear weapons in the ocean falls under different arms-control regimes and isn’t the focus of this resolution; deploying anti-satellite systems concerns space weapons but not WMD in orbit; and constructing space-based weather stations involves benign infrastructure, not a ban on WMD in space.