Pikachu has officially been to space! A Pikachu plush spent 67 days aboard the International Space Station earlier this year, completing approximately 1,040 orbits around Earth. That is quite a trip for our favourite Electric-type mouse.
The flight is part of a collaboration between the European Space Agency (ESA) and The Pokémon Company International celebrating World Space Week, October 4–10, 2026. There are exhibitions coming to Europe, exclusive merchandise, and an astronaut outfit for Pikachu in Pokémon GO.
Pikachu’s real trip to space
As Space.com reports, the plush stayed aboard the ISS from April 11 to June 17, 2026. Its seven human crewmates included ESA astronaut Sophie Adenot, who travelled to the station on SpaceX’s Crew-12 mission.
There are photographs of Pikachu floating inside the station, including in the Cupola. The little spacesuit feels rather well earned after that!
What is the ESA × Pokémon exhibition?
According to ESA’s announcement, the exhibition uses Pokémon alongside educational panels about European space exploration. Visitors can learn about rocket launches, life aboard the ISS, the Sun, and missions exploring the Solar System and beyond.
The exhibition debuted at ESA’s Paris headquarters on September 19–20, with further Open Days scheduled:
| ESA site | Exhibition dates in 2026 |
|---|---|
| Headquarters, Paris, France | September 19–20 |
| ESRIN, Rome area, Italy | September 25 |
| ESTEC, Noordwijk, Netherlands | September 26–27 |
| ESOC, Darmstadt, Germany | October 2 |
| ESAC, Villanueva de la Cañada, Spain | October 3 |
| ECSAT, Harwell, United Kingdom | October 10 |
Further appearances at European museums and events are planned from early October 2026 through April 2027, including Lucca Comics & Games in Italy. Individual exhibition schedules vary by venue.
Exclusive ESA × Pokémon merchandise
There will also be clothing, accessories and collectibles sold through ESA and Pokémon retail channels, as well as participating museum shops. The announcement covered by Space.com does not provide a full product list or prices, so we will have to wait for those details.
Astronaut Pikachu is coming to Pokémon GO worldwide
Trainers worldwide can join the World Space Week event, which runs from Sunday, October 4, 2026, at 12:00 a.m. to Saturday, October 10, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. local time.
Astronaut Pikachu makes its debut in one-star raids and free Timed Research. Its Shiny form will also be available, so costume collectors have something new to hunt!
The free research rewards an Astronaut Pikachu encounter alongside other rewards. You have until Monday, October 12, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. local time to complete the tasks and claim everything. That deadline falls two days after the event ends.
Museum gameplay continues until April 2027
The museum part of the collaboration runs from October 4, 2026, to April 30, 2027 at six locations:
| Museum | Location |
|---|---|
| Science Museum | London, England |
| Cité de l’espace | Toulouse, France |
| Deutsches Museum | Nuremberg, Germany |
| Museu de les Ciències | València, Spain |
| Space Expo | Noordwijk, Netherlands |
| Euro Space Center | Transinne, Belgium |
At these museums, completing Astronaut Pikachu raids in person gives you the opportunity to catch one with a Location Background commemorating your visit. Visiting also unlocks Timed Research, with some research encounters potentially featuring a Location Background.
During the opening week, October 4–10, there will also be event Field Research and increased wild encounters around participating museums. These include Clefairy, Lunatone, Solrock and Elgyem. Some Field Research encounters may also have a Location Background.
ESA sites in Paris, Frascati, Darmstadt, near Madrid, Noordwijk, near Redu and Harwell will offer the event gameplay during October 4–10 only, without Location Backgrounds. These gameplay dates are separate from the exhibition Open Days listed above.
Lucca Comics & Games is an exhibition venue, but it is not on the announced Pokémon GO gameplay list. For the full encounter list and research details, see Pokémon GO Hub’s European Space Agency event guide.
