WORLD SPACE WEEK 2022: The international celebration of science and technology lasts not a day but an entire week. It acknowledges how advances and contributions in science have worked for the betterment of humans. The United Nations calls World Space Week the largest annual space event in the world. This week is all about inspiring the next generation, showing public support for the space programme; increasing awareness about space activities, and helping build international cooperation in space outreach and education.
Every year from October 4 to 10, space enthusiasts come together to celebrate what they love the most. Here’s everything you need to know about this day:
World Space Week 2022: Theme
This year’s theme is – Space and Sustainability. According to the United Nations, this World Space Week will focus on “achieving sustainability in space and achieving sustainability from space”. This theme was inspired by how space sustainability depends on humans using space, especially, the orbital area around the Earth.
World Space Week will also focus on bringing change to Earth, by studying climate change, identifying water and soil pollution, and supporting agricultural growth in developing nations. The official website of the UN stated, “Of the 169 targets that form the 17 Sustainable Development Goals, 65 directly benefit through Earth observation satellites and related technologies. Achieving the SDGs would be so much harder without the tools and techniques available to scientists through space exploration.”
World Space Week: History
The event is coordinated between the United Nations and the World Space Week Association (WSWA).
In 1999, the United Nations General Assembly declared October 4-10 to be celebrated as World Space Week. These dates were not randomly selected. October 4 marks the launch of the first human-made Earth satellite, Sputnik 1. When Sputnik 1 was launched into orbit in 1957, it opened the scope for space exploration. A decade later, on October 10, 1967, the Treaty on Principles Governing the Activities of States in the Exploration and Use of Outer Space, including the Moon and Other Celestial Bodies, was signed.
The first time this event was celebrated was in 2000. It focused on the theme – “Launching the Space Millennium.” In 2021, this event achieved record scale. The week consisted of more than 6,418 events in 96 nations.
World Space Week: Significance
World Space Week aims to help people gain a wider knowledge about space outreach and education. This helps people around the globe understand what benefits they can receive from space and how they can use space for sustainable economic development. It also aims to celebrate and show public support for space programs.
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