A Pikachu plush completed about 1,040 orbits during a 67-day stay aboard the International Space Station in a project by ESA and The Pokémon Company aimed at bringing science to the public.
The toy was aboard from April 11 to June 17, 2026, during ESA astronaut Sophie Adenot’s mission. At an altitude of about 400 kilometers, the station circles Earth roughly once every 90 minutes.
That pace gives crew members up to 16 sunrises and sunsets in a 24-hour period. The partnership was timed for World Space Week 2026, held from October 4 to 10, and the plush accompanied research aboard the orbital laboratory.
After returning to Earth, the project became a traveling educational exhibition at ESA centers and science museums across Europe. Displays pair space exploration, solar observation and Solar System studies with imagery from the franchise.
The collaboration also expanded to Pokémon GO. From October 2026 through April 2027, visitors to participating European museums can join themed in-app raids and virtual encounters with Astronaut Pikachu at science-related locations.