Events

Join us for World Space Week 2026, a five-day celebration of space exploration, innovation, and education, organized as part of World Space Week. 

Through inspiring lectures, hands-on workshops, expert discussions, interactive simulations, and a special space cinema evening, discover how today's rocket revolution is transforming our journey beyond Earth!

• The event is held under the Honorary Patronage of the Mayor of Krakow www.krakow.pl

 

✨World Space Week 2026: Rocket Revolution - program✨

5-9 October 2026

 

🔹 Day 1  – Rockets return to Earth: open day of the Faculty of Space Technologies AGH  

5.10.2026 (Monday) 

The opening day of Kraków Space Week 2026 combines the official launch of the event with the Faculty of Space Technologies Open Day, showcasing the faculty's research and student research groups through lectures, demonstrations, and interactive activities

🔵 Venue: AGH University of Krakow, U2 Building 

🔵 Format: on-site 

🔵 Target: high schools, students, teachers, residents 

🔵 Registration: via the Form

🔵 Language: Polish

 

🔵 Agenda:  

9:30–10:00 – Registration and welcome 

10:00–10:20 – Official opening of Kraków Space Week 2026 and World Space Week, followed by the presentation "How to Become a Space Engineer" by prof. Justyna Topolska 

10:20–11:10 – Inaugural lecture: "Rockets Return to Earth: How Reusable Launch Systems Have Changed Access to Space" by dr Mateusz Olek 

The lecture will take participants on a journey through the Rocket Revolution - from the challenges of traditional launch systems to the breakthrough of reusable rockets. It will show how recovery and reuse technologies are transforming access to space and enabling new players to take part in the future of space exploration. 

11:10–11:30 – Presentations by the SatLab and LunarTech Student Research Groups, featuring student satellite projects and lunar payload technologies. 

11:30–12:30 – Demonstration zone of the Student Research Groups in the U2 foyer, meetings with participants & networking 

 

🔵 Demonstration Zone: 

Visit our demonstration zone and explore a variety of interactive stands prepared by student research groups and the Faculty of Space Technologies. Discover exciting space-related projects, talk to students, and learn more about studying space engineering at AGH. 

The stands will showcase topics such as rockets, satellites, robotics, electronics, programming, space mission design, and other innovative technologies. You will also find information about our study programmes, student organizations, internships, and opportunities to get involved in space projects. 

 

🔹Day 2 – Practical workshops: Build a rocket - from an idea to a stable flight 

6.10.2026 (Tuesday) 

Participants will discover the basics of rocket engineering - from flight principles and stability to design and testing. During hands-on teamwork, they will create their own rocket concepts, payload modules, or recovery systems, using the same engineering mindset applied in real space projects. 

🔵 Venue: AGH University of Krakow, D-3 Building, room 2.15 

🔵 Format: hybrid: on-site with online streaming (online streaming: only mini-lecture)

🔵 Target: secondary school students (partner school)

🔵Workshop facilitator: Jakub Ramotowski 

🔵 Registration: Workshop part – closed event; Lecture part – registration via the Form 

🔵 Language: English 

 

🔵 Agenda:  

9:30–10:20 – Workshop introduction and team formation

10:20–11:00 – Mini-lecture: “Why Does a Rocket Fly – and Why Doesn’t It Always Fly Straight?” 

11:00–12:00 – Discovering student rocket projects and exploring space engineering solutions 

12:00–14:15 – Team workshop: designing a mini-rocket concept, payload module, or recovery system 

14:15–15:15 – Team presentations: project ideas, challenges and engineering solutions 

15:15–15:30 – Closing remarks and introduction to university space projects 

 

🔹 Day 3  – Towards sustainable space exploration: challenges and solutions 

7.10.2026 (Wednesday) 

The online session will explore how the future of space exploration can become more sustainable through circular economy solutions, responsible technologies, and internationalcooperation. 

🔵 Format: online 

🔵 Target: everyone interested in sustainable space  

🔵 Registration via the Form 

🔵 Language: English

Can Space Exploration Be Sustainable?

10:00–10:20 — Space Sustainability: Circular Economy in Space -Rafał Sawa (POLSA & ESA NGT Programme)

10:20–10:40 — Vernacular Engineering for Space Architecture - Marcin Kitala (AGH University of Krakow)

10:40–11:00 — Discussion Panel

Educating for a Sustainable Space Future: UNIVERSEH Programmes

11:00–11:10 — Study Space Engineering & Space Technologies at the Faculty of Space Technologies AGH  - Mateusz Olek (AGH University of Krakow)

11:10–11:20 — The university led rocketry and propulsion education. How and where to do the test? The need of rocket engineers in the near future - Olle Persson(LTU, Center of Excellence): 

11:20–11:25 — UNIVERSEH Mobilities -Gladys Espejo (HHU)

11:25–11:30 — UNIVERSEH Academy -Lars Lienen (HHU)

11:30–11:35 — UNIVERSEH's New Mentoring Programme -Sterenn Le-Calvez (ComUE)

11:35–11:40 — Transversal Space Programme -Yulia Dimbernat (ComUE)

11:40–11:45 — SATCOM Masters - Pascal Maussion (ComUE)

11:45–11:50 — Space Sustainability Masters - Miguel Olivares Mendez (University of Luxembourg)

11:50–12:00 — Q&A

 

Description 

As humanity looks beyond Earth towards long-term space exploration and future habitation, one question becomes increasingly important: Can space exploration be sustainable? 

Can we explore space without harming the space environment or our own planet? How sustainable are today's space technologies? Are rockets really as harmful to the environment as many people believe? What happens to launch vehicles after each mission? And as humans prepare to establish a permanent presence beyond Earth, how can we ensure that space habitats and future missions are designed responsibly? 

During this online event, experts from different fields of the space sector will present the latest ideas and solutions related to space sustainability. Topics will include the circular economy in the space industry, sustainable materials and 3D printing for space habitats, and both current and emerging approaches to making space activities more sustainable. 

The presentations will be followed by an interactive panel discussion, where our speakers will answer questions from the audience and discuss some of the most common misconceptions and challenges surrounding sustainable space exploration. 

We warmly encourage participants to submit their questions in advance or ask them live during the event. There are no silly questions - curiosity drives innovation! 

You can submit your questions here: https://forms.cloud.microsoft/e/0tRW7LHhSk  

 

🔹 Day 4  – Build It. Launch It. Land It. A Space Mission on Your Smartphone 

8.10.2026 (Thursday), 6 PM

Experience spaceflight from the astronaut’s perspective! During this interactive event, participants will play A Space Flight Simulator and explore historic NASA missionsinspired by the Mercury, Gemini, and Apollo programmes. 

The Game Day will explore how mobile games about rocket building and space missions can make learning about space more engaging. Participants will discover how games simulate topics such as rocket design, mission planning, lunar missions and Mars exploration in a fun and accessible way. 

The event will include a short introduction, live gameplay projected from a smartphone, and the opportunity for participants to join in using their own devices. We will wrap up with a discussion on how accurately these games reflect real space technologies and how they can support space education today. 

The event is organized in cooperation with Groznawcze Koło Naukowe AGH as a special edition of Grymaszenie.

🔵 Venue: AGH University of Krakow, C-7 Building, Room TBC

🔵 Time: 6 PM 

🔵 Format: on-site 

🔵 Target: everyone interested 

🔵 Registration via the Form 

🔵 Language: Polish

 

🔹 Day 5 – Fact or Fiction? Rocket Science at the Movies 

9.10.2026 (Friday) 

Explore space through film! Join us for a special screening of Interstellar, followed by expert commentary and a discussion exploring the question: how much science is really behind science fiction?

The Cinema Day will invite participants to watch a space-themed film in one of the city’s cinemas, with particular attention to its rocket-related and mission-oriented elements. The screening will be preceded by a short introduction explaining why the film was selected and what scientific details are worth observing during the viewing.  

After the film, a physicist will deconstruct selected scenes and explain what is scientifically accurate, what is simplified and what belongs mainly to Hollywood imagination. The event will show how cinema can inspire curiosity about space while also encouraging critical thinking about science, technology and popular culture. 

🔵 Movie: Interstellar 

🔵 Venue: Mikro Cinema, Juliusza Lea Street 5, 30-046 Krakow

🔵 Format: on-site 

🔵 Target: everyone interested 

🔵 Language: Polish

🔵 The event is ticketed. Buy your ticket

 

🔵 Agenda:  

18:00–18:15 – Introduction to the film and the evening’s theme 

18:15–20:35 – Film screening 

20:35–20:45 – Break 

20:45–21:30 – Expert commentary: exploring the science behind the film and comparing fiction with real space technologies 

21:30–22:00 – Audience Q&A and discussion with an expert