World Space Week, October 4–10: what it marks, plus Czech Space Week

World Space Week is held every year from October 4 to 10. The world's largest celebration of space exploration, proclaimed by the UN, commemorates two important milestones: the launch of the first artificial satellite, Sputnik 1 (October 4, 1957), and the signing of the Outer Space Treaty on the peaceful use of space (October 10, 1967).

Space technology is not just a story about distant planets. Satellites help with navigation, weather forecasts, communications, climate monitoring, agriculture and disaster response. When you open a map on your phone, check a rain radar or look at images of your surroundings, you are using data that reaches us from space.

If one week in October is not enough, put Czech Space Week in your calendar too. The biggest space-themed festival in Czechia brings together experts, students, schools, families and technology enthusiasts at events across the country. The program includes lectures, discussions, meetings with well-known figures of the industry and a chance to look behind the scenes of the Czech space industry.

Here are the key dates:

On October 4, 1957, Sputnik 1, the first artificial Earth satellite, was launched, opening humanity's way into space. On October 10, 1967, the Outer Space Treaty came into force, setting the basic rules for the peaceful exploration and use of space. The UN proclaimed World Space Week in 1999, and today it is the largest annual international celebration of space science and technology.

Around Prague, based on reporting by kudyznudy.cz