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WNAM REPORT: The Institute of Space Technology (IST) has inaugurated World Space Week (WSW) 2025, opening Pakistan’s largest annual celebration of space science, technology, and innovation.
The event is hosted by the National Center of GIS and Space Applications (NCGSA) under the patronage of the Higher Education Commission (HEC) and in collaboration with the Pakistan Space & Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (SUPARCO).
This year’s global theme, “Living in Space,” highlights humanity’s next great challenge — not just to explore the universe, but also to build sustainable life beyond Earth.
The celebrations began with a formal inauguration ceremony graced by Prof. Dr. Syed Wilayat Husain and Prof. Dr. Ihtzaz Qamar, both former senior members of Dr. A. Q. Khan Research Laboratories, who jointly declared the event open and praised IST’s enduring commitment to advancing space education in Pakistan.
For nearly two decades, IST has been the torchbearer of World Space Week in Pakistan, turning its campus each October into a vibrant arena of discovery, creativity, and exploration. The annual event has evolved into the country’s oldest and largest platform for public engagement in space science, drawing thousands of visitors, students, and educators from across the nation.
Hosted by NCGSA, a flagship initiative of the Ministry of Planning, Development and Special Initiatives and the HEC, WSW 2025 reaffirms IST’s vision to cultivate curiosity, inspire innovation, and strengthen Pakistan’s role in global space endeavors.
Chairman, National Center of GIS and Space Applications (NCGSA), Dr. Najam Abbas Naqvi remarked, “World Space Week at IST stands as a living example of Pakistan’s scientific spirit. Each year, it transforms knowledge into experience, igniting a passion for discovery among young minds. The theme ‘Living in Space’ pushes us to imagine humanity’s future beyond Earth and, equally, to apply those same technologies to sustain life on our own planet.”
The heart of World Space Week at IST lies in its interactive student competitions, designed to blend creativity, teamwork, and scientific inquiry. This year’s program features over 50 diverse modules, engaging more than 2,000 participants from 50+ schools and colleges across Pakistan.
From model satellite building, robotics, and coding challenges to space art, creative writing, and debate contests, every event encourages students to link imagination with real-world applications. Participants are challenged to design sustainable habitats for space, simulate extraterrestrial farming systems, create AI-based space solutions, and demonstrate innovative uses of satellite data for Earth observation. These activities not only foster a spirit of competition but also nurture the problem-solving mindset essential for tomorrow’s scientists and engineers.
Complementing the competitions are astronomical telescope sessions, research lab visits, and space technology displays. Visitors will tour IST’s advanced facilities and witness firsthand the innovations driving Pakistan’s emerging space sector. Stargazing, public lectures, and outreach programs will further connect audiences with the wonder of the cosmos.
World Space Week is celebrated globally from October 4 to 10 under the auspices of the United Nations, commemorating humanity’s achievements in space exploration. The 2025 theme, “Living in Space,” encourages dialogue on the science, technology, and imagination required to make life beyond Earth a reality.
Through this celebration, IST once again positions itself at the forefront of space education in Pakistan, inspiring minds, building capacity, and paving the way for a future where Pakistani scientists and engineers contribute to life among the stars.
