September 19, 2026<\/p>\n
\u2014 A special visitor made a secret trip to the International Space Station earlier this year to spark interest in the European Space Agency (ESA) and its activities.<\/p>\n
As revealed on Saturday (Sept. 19), Pikachu spent 67 days on board the orbiting outpost from April 11 to June 17. The best known of all the Pok\u00e9mon \u2014 in the form of a plush toy \u2014 the electrified yellow mouse arrived at the space station on a Northrop Grumman Cygnus cargo spacecraft and returned to Earth on board a SpaceX Dragon capsule.<\/p>\n
Dressed in a custom white spacesuit with his own mission patch, Pikachu’s stay occurred during ESA astronaut Sophie Adenot’s still ongoing mission. The announcement of the doll’s 1,040 laps around Earth has now kicked off a tour of a different type \u2014 a traveling exhibition focused on space and Pok\u00e9mon that will visit ESA sites and major museums across Europe.<\/p>\n
The first stop began Saturday as part of ESA’s Open Days at its headquarters in Paris, France.<\/p>\n
“Through this collaboration with Pok\u00e9mon, we are unlocking new ways for people across Europe to connect with space,” Josef Aschbacher, ESA’s Director General, said in a statement<\/a>. “By taking space exploration beyond traditional settings, we hope to ignite curiosity, spark a sense of wonder about our universe and encourage people of all ages to discover the opportunities that space offers for the future.”<\/p>\n Exhibition, activations and merch<\/p>\n The new, family-friendly ESA exhibition incorporates the Pok\u00e9mon characters to engage the public in space and other scientific topics.<\/p>\n At the agency’s headquarters Saturday, among other displays, was a statue of Pikachu dressed in the same style spacesuit as the one worn by the plush flown to the space station. A freestanding panel introducing the Pok\u00e9mon collaboration, titled “Attention Trainers…” also featured an illustration of Astronaut Pikachu.<\/p>\n “Every Pok\u00e9mon journey begins with a sense of wonder about what lies beyond the world you know. From distant regions to encounters that reach into outer space, that spirit of discovery has always been part of being a Pok\u00e9mon Trainer,” said Mathieu Galante, senior director of licensing at The Pok\u00e9mon Company International. “Collaborating with ESA<\/a> opens a new frontier for fans, bringing together the world of Pok\u00e9mon and the wonder of space for visitors at locations across Europe.”<\/p>\n The Pok\u00e9mon-adorned panels explore how Europe launches missions, supports astronauts on the International Space Station, studies the Sun and extends out into the Solar System and the wider universe. <\/p>\n In addition to the touring exhibition, the collaboration will also extend into the digital world through a Pok\u00e9mon GO in-game activation<\/a>. Beginning during World Space Week on Oct. 4 through April 30, 2027, trainers (users of the app) visiting participating science and space museums across Europe will find special Pok\u00e9mon GO gameplay inspired by the wonders of space, including encounters with Astronaut Pikachu. <\/p>\n