World Space Week, held from 4 to 10 October, celebrates the contribution of space science and technology to human development and encourages education, innovation and international cooperation. The 2026 theme is 'Rocket Revolution.' The UN General Assembly (UNGA) declared the week in 1999. Its dates commemorate the launch of Sputnik 1 on 4 October 1957 and the Outer Space Treaty, which came into force on 10 October 1967. India's Gaganyaan programme plans its first crewed mission in 2027.