On December 6, 1999, the United Nations General Assembly officially recognized World Space Week, an international celebration of the contributions of science and technology to space exploration and the benefits that it has had for everyone on Earth. It was created to advance the burgeoning public interest in space, and 22 years later, we can say that it has been wildly successful. Today, World Space Week is the largest annual space event in the world, with events taking place in nearly 100 countries this year. The events this year were focused on the theme of women in space, which makes it more important than ever to acknowledge how this international event came to be, and the role it has played in bringing facets of space down to Earth for everyday people.
The roots of World Space Week can be traced back to the United States in the 1980s. In an effort to celebrate the Apollo Moon landings, an organization by the name of the World Space Week Association organized a week-long event from July 16-24. This celebration, known as Spaceweek, was first held in Houston, Texas in 1980. The popularity and success of the event in what is often nicknamed “Space City” led to the national expansion of the World Space Week Association all across the US. Over time, Spaceweek became more and more popular, and before the end of the century, it had spread to 15 countries. Finally in 1999, the UN General Assembly officially declared World Space Week an international celebration that would occur annually from October 4th to 10th. These dates weren’t just arbitrarily picked; October 4, 1957 was the launch date of Sputnik I, the first artificial satellite, and October 10, 1967 marked the day the Outer Space Treaty came into effect to ensure the peaceful use of space. Today, the success of World Space Week continues to grow, and each year, it serves as a reminder of the collective accomplishments of humanity in space.
The roots of World Space Week can be traced back to the United States in the 1980s. In an effort to celebrate the Apollo Moon landings, an organization by the name of the World Space Week Association organized a week-long event from July 16-24. This celebration, known as Spaceweek, was first held in Houston, Texas in 1980. The popularity and success of the event in what is often nicknamed “Space City” led to the national expansion of the World Space Week Association all across the US. Over time, Spaceweek became more and more popular, and before the end of the century, it had spread to 15 countries. Finally in 1999, the UN General Assembly officially declared World Space Week an international celebration that would occur annually from October 4th to 10th. These dates weren’t just arbitrarily picked; October 4, 1957 was the launch date of Sputnik I, the first artificial satellite, and October 10, 1967 marked the day the Outer Space Treaty came into effect to ensure the peaceful use of space. Today, the success of World Space Week continues to grow, and each year, it serves as a reminder of the collective accomplishments of humanity in space.
Over its many years of existence, World Space Week has been important for many reasons, and its impact will only continue to grow as the event reaches out to an ever-increasing population. In 2020, World Space Week reached out to about 60 countries around the world, and this year, it’s over 90 countries. To have this number grow by more than twenty in just a year is simply astonishing. It means that more and more adults and youth are becoming aware of what goes on all around them in the space sector, and that is a trend that cannot be overlooked. Space is often looked upon as a very “out of this world” (literally!) industry, and for the general public, it may seem too distant to matter. Terms like “escape velocity” and “geostationary transfer orbit” might sound completely alien to many, and that barrier in terms of relatability has huge consequences on the number of people who choose to pursue a career in space.
Having an international celebration like World Space Weeks allows events to be planned all over the world not only for those who are knowledgeable in the subject, but also for the general public. As a result, these events essentially bring “space down to Earth for everyday people,” as science communicator Tim Dodd would say (you may have heard of him on YouTube as the “Everyday Astronaut”). Having accessible and inclusive events that forgo technical jargon is the best way to get more people interested in space.
However, there is an additional reason as to why World Space Week is important, and it has to do with the future of space exploration. This weeklong celebration has done a great deal in growing public interest, and as a result, has undoubtedly inspired many of our youth to consider careers in aerospace. Even if they choose not to pursue this line of work, the impact is still present; the seeds of curiosity are in place, and that can benefit society not just in the space sector, but in all aspects of the knowledge economy. And obviously, World Space Week alone has not been responsible for this; it’s a product of the combined efforts of numerous outreach initiatives that have fueled the growing space industry. A clear example of the benefits of increased outreach can be seen in the United Arab Emirates, which has achieved tremendous success with its space program in just the past decade, largely because of a flood of youth who are looking to make a difference. Ultimately, the increase in jobs will ultimately accelerate the advancement of countless space-based fields like aerospace engineering, space science, and space technology. If technological advancement between the launch of Sputnik 1 in 1957 and the present day was considered fast, who knows what will happen in the near future. Regardless, it is clear that the coming generations will be the ones that finally expand the reach of humanity beyond Earth.
The World Space Week Association has also given each annual celebration a particular theme that forms the basis of activities carried out during that year. Themes have varied throughout the event’s existence, from celebrating 50 years of space exploration in 2007, to the importance of satellites in our daily lives in 2020. As mentioned before, the theme selected for this year was “Women in Space,” which is all about celebrating the achievements of women in the field of space science and technology.
Additionally, this year’s World Space Week plans to bring attention to gender diversity in the space industry, and how we can resolve these issues as we move forward in a new decade of spaceflight. From the first women astronauts to the “Hidden Figures” that helped NASA get to the moon, and the countless science fiction writers who inspired future generations, there's no doubt that women have advanced our understanding of spaceflight and the universe, and will continue to do so for many years to come.
With the continued success of World Space Week and other similar celebrations, the final frontier has never been more accessible to all on Earth. Whether we imagine space as the ocean that countless explorers of antiquity sailed on or a new realm of unlimited possibility, there is one thing that it provides to everyone: inspiration. This inspiration is what will ultimately drive a new generation to carry on the torch, just like our childhood heroes who carried humanity through our first forays into the unknown.
Sources & Further Reading
World Space Week History