Celebrate Space Day!

Fifty years in space

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A young girl holding a solar system model. (Photo: Corbis Images/Jupiterimages)

On Friday, May 4, millions of kids throughout the world will celebrate Space Day. Space Day recognizes achievements in space exploration and promotes education in the fields of science, math, and technology.

This year's theme is "50 years in space . . . and still having a blast!" It commemorates, or honors, the 1957 launch of the Sputnik satellite by the former Soviet Union. Sputnik was the world's first artificial satellite; it marked the start of space exploration.

Events will be held throughout the country to celebrate Space Day. One major event is the Space Day Design Challenge competition. Winning teams will attend a ceremony at the Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum in Chantilly, Virginia.

For the competition, students in grades 4-8 had to come up with creative ways of solving space problems. The competition is sponsored by Lockheed Martin—a company involved in space research and development.

Laika, the Russian space dog, rests comfortably inside the Soviet satellite Sputnik II in preparation of becoming the first living creature to orbit the earth in 1957. (Photo: Bettmann/Corbis)

Schools and communities are also organizing space programs locally. You can visit the Space Day website and list your school or community event.

Space Beginnings

Space Day first got its start in 1997. Lockheed Martin started the day as part of an education program. Their goal is to use kids' love of space to encourage student involvement in technology, math, and science.

"In 10 years, there will be a major work force gap in technical industries, if we do not strengthen the interest today's young people have in math, science, technology and engineering," said Bob Stevens, chairman, president and CEO of Lockheed Martin Corporation.

In 1997, Lockheed Martin also launched the Student Signatures in Space program as a part of Space Day. This program allows elementary- and middle-school kids to send their signatures to space on a NASA shuttle mission. Since 1997, over 2.5 million students from North America and in 32 other countries have participated!

For more information about Space Day, click here.

Tiffany Chaparro is a contributing writer for Scholastic News Online.

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