ISLAMABAD, Sep 24 (APP):The Pakistan Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (SUPARCO) will celebrate World Space Week (WSW) 2026 from October 4 to 10 across the country with a wide range of educational, awareness and public engagement activities under this year's global theme, "Rocket Revolution." The theme highlights the remarkable evolution of rocket technology over the decades and its central role in shaping the future of space exploration, from early …
SUPARCO to celebrate World Space Week 2026 across Pakistan
ISLAMABAD, Sep 24 (APP):The Pakistan Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (SUPARCO) will celebrate World Space Week (WSW) 2026 from October 4 to 10 across the country with a wide range of educational, awareness and public engagement activities under this year’s global theme, “Rocket Revolution.”
The theme highlights the remarkable evolution of rocket technology over the decades and its central role in shaping the future of space exploration, from early experimental launches to today’s advanced and reusable launch systems.
SUPARCO, which has been serving as Pakistan’s national coordinator for World Space Week since 2005, will lead the nationwide celebrations with the aim of promoting awareness of space science, technology and exploration among students, educators, space enthusiasts and the general public.
According to an official source, the week-long celebrations will feature several national-level contests and educational activities, including the Best Space School Contest and the Space Ambassador Contest, along with public competitions in Comic Book Design, Design Your Rocket and Astrophotography, offering participants of different ages an opportunity to showcase their creativity and interest in space.
SUPARCO has also planned a diverse programme of activities at its centres in different parts of the country. In Karachi, seminars will be organised in collaboration with RESOLVE South on “The Evolution of Space Rockets for Deep-Space Missions and Exploration” and “The Role of AI, Robotics and GNSS Navigation Systems in Space Missions,” bringing together experts, academics and students to discuss emerging trends in space technology.
In Lahore, the Satellite Research and Development Center will host a teachers’ training session and a hands-on workshop titled “Design and 3D Print Your Own Rocket,” aimed at equipping educators with practical tools to introduce rocket science in classrooms.
At the Space Applications and Research Center (SPARC) in Gilgit-Baltistan, an inter-school poster competition will be held on the evolution of rockets, encouraging students to depict the journey from ancient fire rockets and the Space Race to the Space Shuttle era and the reusable rockets of today.
Meanwhile, SUPARCO’s Mobile Space Van will visit schools in Islamabad, Karachi and Lahore, taking theme-based educational activities directly to students and giving them an interactive experience of space science.
At the university level, RESOLVE Karachi will organise an innovation contest for university students on “Rocket System Design & Future Challenges,” while RESOLVE UET will hold the “SpaceTech Challenge 2026: Satellite Design & Build Hackathon,” providing young engineers a platform to test their technical skills. Lectures on space science and technology have also been arranged at Bacha Khan University, Charsadda, and Abdul Wali Khan University, Mardan.
To extend the celebrations beyond physical events, SUPARCO’s Space Education and Awareness Drive will conduct a series of webinars and social media activities.
A downloadable WSW-26 Resource Kit, comprising a quiz book, a colouring book and do-it-yourself space activities, will also be made available for use in classrooms and at home.
Through World Space Week 2026, SUPARCO aims to provide students, educators and space enthusiasts across Pakistan with meaningful opportunities to engage with space science and emerging technologies, while inspiring the future workforce of scientists, engineers and innovators to contribute to the country’s growing space and technology sectors.
World Space Week was declared by the United Nations General Assembly in 1999 and is celebrated every year from October 4 to 10.
The dates commemorate two landmark events: the launch of Sputnik 1, the first human-made Earth satellite, on October 4, 1957, and the entry into force of the Outer Space Treaty on October 10, 1967. Today, it is regarded as the world’s largest annual space event, observed in dozens of countries through thousands of activities.
This year’s rocket-focused theme holds special significance for Pakistan. SUPARCO, established in 1961, launched the Rehbar-I sounding rocket from Sonmiani on June 7, 1962, making Pakistan one of the first countries in Asia to send a rocket into space.
In recent years, the national space agency has expanded its satellite programme, including the launch of the remote sensing satellite PRSS-1 in 2018 and the electro-optical satellite PRSC-EO1 in January 2025, and has also taken part in international lunar exploration through the iCube-Qamar CubeSat, which travelled to the Moon aboard China’s Chang’e-6 mission in 2024.
