On 25 October 2007, a series of public lectures will present an overview of space activities worldwide, in commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the launch of Sputnik, which marked the beginning of space exploration; it also celebrates the International Geophysical Year (IGY).

WSEF 2007 aims to review the state of space environment research, and to identify the key problems in Sun-Earth relation to be addressed by the international solar-terrestrial science community in the coming years.

Attendance of the public lectures is by invitation only.