World Space Week is an international celebration of science and technology, and their contribution to the betterment of the human condition.
In 1999, the United Nations General Assembly declared that World Space Week will be held each year from October 4-10. These dates commemorate two events:
• October 4, 1957: The launch of the first human-made Earth satellite, Sputnik 1, beginning the space age, and opening the way for space exploration.
Sputnik 1, simulated in Kerbal Space Program. Credit: Bob Trembley• October 10, 1967: The signing of the Treaty on Principles Governing the Activities of States in the Exploration and Peaceful Uses of Outer Space, including the Moon and Other Celestial Bodies.
Brother Guy Consolmagno represented the Holy See at UNISPACE+50 – the 50th anniversary meeting of the United Nations Conference on the Exploration and Peaceful Uses of Outer Space in Vienna.
https://twitter.com/specolations/status/1009846462958723073
How to host a World Space Week event
World Space Week is an excellent opportunity for organizations across the world to come together and help collectively inspire and stimulate interests in space, space sciences and education. Your organization can participate in the celebration of World Space Week each October 4-10. By doing so, you will leverage the public and media attention surrounding the largest annual public space event on Earth.
Why run an event?
An annual event, World Space Week is an excellent opportunity for local organisations in your country to come-together and help collectively inspire and stimulate interests in space, STEM sciences and education. Your organisation could leverage World Space Week to:
- Reach out to prospective members
- Provide community outreach and education
- Engage with your local community
- Help raise the profile of space-related organisations and activities across your country
- Have fun, and get your members engaged
Using these activities every year can help raise your organisation’s profile. Participating is easier than you may think. Here is how to celebrate World Space Week:
1. Mark your Calendar
From 4 to 10 of October EVERY YEAR!
2. Choose an Activity
You determine what you want to do. Any activity related to space will do, from a short classroom drawing activity for a handful of toddlers to a stadium-size all-week lecture program. Programs can be for any audience, such as the public, employees, government leaders, the media, teachers, or students (see our materials for schools). These programs can be existing or new. We recommend you contact your National Coordinator for ideas, or use the event ideas pages on this website.
3. Plan Your Activity/Event
Schedule space-related activities for the 4-10 October timeframe. Use the World Space Week name and logo into your publicity materials. You may want to coordinate with other events organizers in your area and your national coordinator. You can download posters and logos directly from our website, free for you to use. To help develop a strong ‘Festival Brand’, we are encouraging all organisations to co-brand events with “World Space Week”. This helps people become aware of the festival, and will help build a brand for future years. It also allows your event attendees to become aware of other events being organised in your area. This is a win-win scenario, as people attending other events will similarly hear about yours. Click here to download the World Space Week logo.
4. Spread the Word – register your event!
To make it an official World Space Week event it is important to add your event to our global calendar. After adding it to our database you should let people know about your event! If you want people to know about your cool activities, please start by telling your local media about your event plans.
We encourage you to send a press release to your local newspaper or TV/radio station, and announce it on social media, using the World Space Week hashtag (e.g. #WSW2018). If you have a website for your event, please add a link to the World Space Week page and make sure to use our logo. Include this website address in our event database, so we can help you promote through our website and social media channels.
Every year we produce a space art poster around our theme. You can order a copy of this poster from your National Coordinator and display it at the event site before the event. You can also download the poster file and use it to create your own event poster.
We encourage you to announce your event to your local media. You can write a short press release (basically an email with the text you would like to appear in a newspaper or on radio/TV). Please send a copy of your press release to your national coordinator. If you appear on radio or TV you may ask for a link where people can listen to or watch a replay. We will help you spread your appearance world wide via social media!
In case you want to make changes to an event that you already registered, please find the instructions here.
Policies and more information here.
World Space Week on Twitter:
World Space Week is also on Facebook here.
Video: Sputnik Declassified: “History of the famous satellite and the early space race” NOVA ( 2007 )
https://youtu.be/6WMBPYWQ7EA
With World Space Week happening in October, NASA’s 60th anniversary happening now, and the Apollo 11 50th anniversary happening next summer, I thought I’d put a World Space Week lander on the Mun in Kerbal Space Program:
World Space Week lander on the Mun. Credit: Kerbal Space Program / Bob Trembley
World Space Week Logo Flag on the Mun. Credit: Kerbal Space Program / Bob Trembley
