Pokemon Go's Astronaut Pikachu Lands After 67-Day ISS

A Pikachu plush spent 67 days aboard the International Space Station earlier this year. The toy completed roughly 1,040 orbits of Earth between April 11 and June 17, 2026, as part of ESA astronaut Sophie Adenot's mission.

The flight is the centerpiece of a new collaboration between the European Space Agency and The Pokemon Company International. The partnership, timed for World Space Week from October 4 to 10, will see a touring exhibition mixing real space science with Pokemon characters.

ESA and Pokemon Launch European Exhibition

The exhibition will debut at ESA Open Days in Paris, Rome, Noordwijk, Darmstadt, Villanueva de la Cañada, and Harwell through late September and early October. It will then travel to major venues including the Science Museum in London, the Deutsches Museum in Nuremberg, and Lucca Comics and Games. The tour is scheduled to run until April 2027.

ESA Director General Josef Aschbacher stated the initiative aims to inspire. "Inspiring future generations is a key part of ESA’s mission," Aschbacher said. "Through this collaboration with Pokemon, we are unlocking new ways for people across Europe to connect with space."

Astronaut Pikachu Raids Arrive in Pokemon Go

The in-game tie-in for Pokemon Go runs from October 4, 2026, to April 30, 2027. It is active at six participating museums: the Science Museum in London, Cité de l’espace in Toulouse, Space Expo in Noordwijk, and three others. At these locations, an Astronaut Pikachu will appear in one-star raids.

Defeating the raid boss gives Trainers a chance to catch it with a special Location Background marking the visit. A Shiny variant is also available. Timed Research will be available for the entire event window, while Field Research is limited to the week of October 4 to 10.

Event Spawns and Bonus Locations

During World Space Week from October 4 to 10, specific Pokemon will spawn more frequently near the participating museum locations. The increased spawns apply to Pikachu, Clefairy, Magnemite, Starmie, Lunatone, Solrock, Elgyem, and Blipbug. Shiny versions are available for all of these except Blipbug.

Seven ESA sites will also host the same gameplay bonuses during that single week, though catches there will not include the special Location Backgrounds. This is not Pokemon's first venture into space. In 2020, players of Pokemon Sword and Shield received a free Kibo’s Pikachu, themed after an ISS module.