What is World Space Week:
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. These dates commemorate two events:
- October 4, 1957: Launch of the first human-made Earth satellite, Sputnik 1, thus opening the way for space exploration
- October 10, 1967: The signing of the Treaty for the Exploration and Peaceful Uses of Space
Theme for 2021: Women in Space:
The first woman in space, Valentina Tereshkova, blazed a trail for the many female spaceflyers who would follow. Tereshkova, a Soviet cosmonaut, went on the launch on the Vostok 6 mission June 16, 1963. She was 26 at the time.
Sally Kristen Ride was an American astronaut and physicist. Born in Los Angeles, she joined NASA in 1978, and in 1983 became the first American woman in space. She was the third woman in space overall, after USSR cosmonauts Valentina Tereshkova and Svetlana Savitskaya.
Only 574 people have ever travelled to space. About 11.5%, were women. NASA recently proclaimed it will put the “first woman and next man” on the Moon by 2024. The list also includes billionaire Jeff Bezos, Mark Bezos, Wally Funk (at the age of 82, the oldest person to travel in space) and an 18 year old student.
Cool Facts about Space:
1. The cost of a complete spacesuit from NASA is $12,000,000. 70% of this cost is for the control module and backpack.
2. It rains diamond and Jupiter and Saturn
3. If two pieces of the same type of metal touch each other in space they will experience what is called “cold welding” and permanently bond together. This is because, unlike Earth, space doesn’t have air or water that separates the metal.
4. The moon doesn’t have any wind to blow around and cover the footprints and rover tire tracks that were left by the astronauts. It’s believed that those prints will stay there for millions of years.
5. In 2006, the International Astronomical Union (IAU) downgraded Pluto from our ninth planet to a dwarf planet. There are now 8 planets in our Solar Sytem.
Want to learn more about world Space week? Here are some ideas
Edison Library is hosting a special event in honor of World Space Week - Click here to learn more and register.
