TEHRAN – Iran is marking the 26th World Space Week, being held from October 4 to 10 under the theme “Rocket Revolution,” with a wide range of promotional, educational, and scientific programs organized across the country.

The programs, targeting students, children, and adolescents, aim to promote awareness of space science and technology and encourage younger generations to explore the field through educational and scientific activities.

Iran has been celebrating World Space Week since 2000. In 2025, the country ranked among the top 10 nations in terms of the diversity of programs held to mark the occasion, hosting a total of 234 events nationwide, IRIB reported.

This year, the week began with a ceremony on Sunday at the Ministry of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in Tehran. The ICT Minister Sattar Hashemi, the Government spokeswoman, Fatemeh Mohajerani, and other officials attended the event. During the ceremony, the event unveiled five books on space technology for children and young adults.

The week’s educational programs primarily target children and students from schools and universities to make them more interested in space science.

These programs are being implemented in cooperation with the Institute for Intellectual Development of Children and Young Adults (IIDCYA), the Ministry of Education, research centers, specialized space organizations and centers, organizations utilizing space services, universities and scientific institutions, private associations and institutions, private sector companies, and knowledge-based enterprises nationwide.

The World Space Week programs include contests for students, online educational events for seventh- and eighth-grade students, and specialized meetings. Moreover, conducting 5 space observations and distributing educational materials and books in underprivileged areas in the country are among other parts of the programs.

The days of the week in Iran are named after homegrown rockets. Sunday, October 4: Safir; October 5: Simorgh; October 6: Zoljanah; October 7: Qased; October 8: Qaem; October 9: Qoqnous; and October 10: Sarir.

World Space Week is an international celebration of science and technology, and their contribution to the betterment of the human condition. The United Nations General Assembly declared in 1999 that World Space Week will be held each year from October 4-10.

The dates commemorate two events: October 4, 1957: the launch of the first human-made Earth satellite, Sputnik 1, thus opening the way for space exploration, and October 10, 1967: The signing of the Treaty on Principles Governing the Activities of States in the Exploration and Peaceful Uses of Outer Space, including the Moon and Other Celestial Bodies.

World Space Week consists of space education and outreach events held by space agencies, aerospace companies, schools, planetaria, museums, and astronomy clubs around the world in a common timeframe.

The week aims to provide unique leverage in space outreach and education, educate people around the world about the benefits that they receive from space, encourage greater use of space for sustainable economic development, demonstrate public support for space programs, excite young people about science, technology, engineering, and math, as well as foster international cooperation in space outreach and education.

The 2026 theme focuses on the rapid transformation of space launch. Once limited to a small number of government programs, access to space is now expanding through commercial launch providers, reusable rockets, university teams, startups, and new national space actors. This shift is changing who can reach space, how often launches happen, and what space is used for.

MT/MG