Celebrating World Space Week

Declared in 1999, World Space Week is an international celebration of science and technology. It is held each year from October 4 – 10 and is the largest public space event in the world. The dates commemorate two historic events:

• October 4, 1957: The launch of the first human-made Earth satellite, Sputnik 1, which paved the way for space exploration.
• October 10, 1967: The signing of the Treaty on Principles Governing the Activities of States in the Exploration and Use of Outer Space, including the Moon and Other Celestial Bodies.

World Space Week consists of space education and more than 4,000 outreach events hosted by space agencies, schools, planetariums, and astronomy clubs. One of the primary goals is to excite young people about STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math). On a more international scale, World Space Week encourages global cooperation in space outreach and education.

Each year, the World Space Week Association (WSWA) selects a theme to inspire activities and events associated with the annual event. The theme in 2021 is “Women in Space.”

Here are some ways you can celebrate, no matter where you live:

• Visit a space museum, observatory, or planetarium.
• Attend a Space Week event.
• Try some space-inspired arts and crafts projects.
  • Toilet Paper Roll Space Rocket
  • Galaxy Sensory Bottle
  • Simple Upcycled Telescope
  • Marshmallow Constellations
• Read a book about outer space.
  • Hello, World! Solar System by Jill McDonald
  • There’s No Place Like Space: All About Our Solar System by Tish Rabe
  • National Geographic Little Kids First Big Book of Space by Catherine D. Hughes
• Arrange a star party with friends and locate the constellations!