Look out at the night sky on a clear night and you’ll see lots of stars and a few planets. We know about these things because they’ve been studied for generations, but we’ve only truly explored space for the last six decades or so.

World Space Week, which runs from October 4 through October 10, commemorates space exploration and all achievements we have made. The United Nations declared that World Space Week in 1999. The theme this year is “Satellites Improve Lives.”

There are actually a few ways to celebrate the week, and you don’t have to be a rocket scientist to take part. Sure, building your own model satellite or spaceship might be something you can do. Maybe you just want to take time to appreciate the men and women who made it all possible.

Since 1961, there have been over 300 flights to space, with participants around the world contributing to the space race (Space Flights). While NASA and Russia have led the way, now, even private companies like Spacex are vying for a position in the historical realm of space exploration.