World Space Week 2026 • 4–10 October

Rocket
Revolution

From the first fireworks to reusable rockets landing on drone ships — discover how rocket science has changed the world and is shaping our future in space.

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Part 01

How Rockets
Work

Every rocket works because of one simple rule: for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. When hot gas shoots out of the bottom, the rocket is pushed upwards. This is Newton's Third Law of Motion!

🎆
Did You Know?
The first rockets were invented in China over 800 years ago! They were fireworks used in celebrations and battles. The same basic science that launches fireworks is the same science that sends astronauts to the Moon.
800+
Years of rockets
28,000
km/h to reach orbit
3rd Law
Newton's key rule
🎈
Balloon Rocket
Let go of an inflated balloon — the air shoots one way, the balloon flies the other. That's exactly how a rocket engine works!
⛽
Rocket Fuel
Rockets carry both fuel AND oxygen because there's no air in space to burn the fuel. These mix and ignite to create enormous thrust.
🧪
Liquid vs Solid
Rockets use liquid fuel (like hydrogen) or solid fuel (like a giant firework). Some use both — the Space Shuttle used liquid and solid together!
💬 Class Discussion
Can you think of other examples of Newton's Third Law? What about swimming (pushing water backwards to move forwards) or jumping off a skateboard?
Part 02

Saturn V &
The Moon Race

In the 1960s, the USA and the Soviet Union were in a race to reach the Moon. NASA built the Saturn V — the most powerful rocket of its era — to carry astronauts on the Apollo missions. On 20th July 1969, Apollo 11 landed the first humans on the Moon.

"We choose to go to the Moon in this decade and do the other things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard."
— President John F. Kennedy, 1962
111m
Tall (36 floors!)
34M N
Thrust (Newtons)
12
People walked on Moon
🏗️
Three Stages
Saturn V dropped empty fuel tanks as it flew, getting lighter and faster each time. Stage 1 burned for just 2.5 minutes!
👨‍🚀
Apollo Missions
6 Apollo missions landed on the Moon between 1969 and 1972. 12 astronauts walked on the surface and brought back 382 kg of Moon rock.
💻
Computer Power
The Apollo guidance computer had less processing power than a modern calculator! Yet it was enough to navigate to the Moon and back.
💬 Class Discussion
The Saturn V rocket was taller than the Statue of Liberty. If you could design a rocket to go anywhere in space, where would you go and why?
Part 03

Reusable
Rockets

Imagine taking a plane to Paris and then throwing the whole plane away! That's what rockets used to do — every launch was a one-time trip. SpaceX changed everything by landing rocket boosters back on Earth so they can fly again and again.

🤯
Game Changer
A single Falcon 9 booster has flown and landed over 20 times! Before SpaceX, most people thought landing a rocket upright was impossible. The first successful landing was in December 2015.
300+
Falcon 9 launches
20+
Flights per booster
90%
Cost reduction
🚢
Drone Ships
Rocket boosters land on floating platforms in the ocean called drone ships, with names like "Just Read the Instructions" and "Of Course I Still Love You."
💰
Why It Matters
Reusing rockets makes space travel much cheaper. It used to cost around £15,000 to send 1 kg to space — now it's closer to £2,000.
🌍
More Companies
SpaceX inspired others! Companies like Rocket Lab, Blue Origin, and even university teams are now building reusable rockets around the world.
💬 Class Discussion
Why do you think reusing rockets is so important for the future of space travel? What else do we reuse in everyday life to save money and resources?
Part 04

Artemis &
The Future

We're going back to the Moon — and this time, we're going to stay! NASA's Artemis programme is using a powerful new rocket called the SLS (Space Launch System) to send astronauts further than ever before. Artemis II launched this year, carrying four astronauts around the Moon.

🚀
Earlier This Year!
Artemis II launched this year with astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen. It's the first crewed mission beyond Earth orbit since Apollo 17 in 1972 — over 50 years ago!
98m
SLS rocket height
4
Astronauts on board
10 days
Mission duration
2022
Artemis I
(uncrewed test)
2026
Artemis II
(crew around Moon)
2028
Artemis IV
(Moon landing!)
2030s
Moon Base &
Mars missions
🌙
First Woman on Moon
A future Artemis mission will land astronauts near the Moon’s south pole, where there is frozen water — making history all over again.
🏠
A Moon Base
Plans now focus on a base on the Moon itself, as a stepping stone for astronauts travelling to the surface and eventually to Mars.
🔴
Starship to Mars
SpaceX's Starship — the biggest rocket ever built — is being developed to carry people to Mars. Test flights are happening right now!
💬 Class Discussion
If you were one of the first people to live on the Moon, what three things would you bring with you? What challenges would you face living somewhere with no air, no water, and very little gravity?
Mission Complete

You've Explored the
Rocket Revolution!

From ancient Chinese fireworks to reusable rockets landing on drone ships — you've journeyed through the incredible history of how humans learned to leave Earth. The best part? The revolution is still happening!

🎯 Challenge Activity
Design your own rocket! Draw and label the parts — nose cone, fuel tanks, engines, and payload. Think about: What fuel will it use? Where is it going? Can it be reused? Present your design to the class!

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Images: NASA/public domain. World Space Week is a UN-declared celebration, 4–10 October annually.