World Space Week 2026 Begins Today With “Rocket Revolution” Theme in Over 100 Nations

World Space Week 2026 begins today, October 4, with space agencies, schools, and aerospace companies across more than 100 nations marking the largest annual space event in the world under the theme “Rocket Revolution.”

The theme, selected by the World Space Week Association in coordination with the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs, focuses on the rapid transformation of space launch. Once limited to a handful of government programmes, access to space is now expanding through commercial launch providers, reusable rockets, university teams, startups, and emerging national space actors — changing who can reach orbit, how often launches happen, and what space is used for, according to the United Nations.

The week runs October 4–10, dates chosen to honour two landmarks: the launch of Sputnik 1 on October 4, 1957 — the first human-made satellite, 69 years ago today — and the signing of the Outer Space Treaty on October 10, 1967.

This year’s activities include a Europe-wide ESA exhibition combining real space science with Pokémon alongside special Pokémon GO activities at participating museums, the online premiere of BBC StoryWorks’ “Space Renaissance” series, and a World Space Week Expo at the NASA Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex featuring the Space Shuttle Atlantis, according to SpaceNews. In the United States, enthusiasts will launch Vulcan model rockets provided by United Launch Alliance and Estes, whose president and CEO, Tory Bruno, is this year’s honorary chair.

Pakistan’s national space agency SUPARCO, together with Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Education, will lead large-scale national celebrations, with thousands of schools and events engaging students and the public, SpaceNews reported. Last year’s edition reached a record of nearly 50,000 activities in 102 nations.

Sources

• World Space Week | United Nations
• World Space Week 2026 Celebrates the “Rocket Revolution” — SpaceNews
• World Space Week is October 4 to 10 — EarthSky