Overview
- The official collaboration between the European Space Agency and The Pokémon Company has been made public this week and centers its public program on World Space Week, scheduled for October 4–10, 2026.
- The Museu de les Ciències in Valencia will open a dedicated ESA–Pokémon exhibition on October 4 that runs through April 2027 and pairs factual displays on European missions, launchers and planetary research with Pokémon-themed panels.
- Pokémon GO will run special activities tied to participating museums and scientific locations during World Space Week, including time-limited investigations, themed encounters and museum-linked in‑game features.
- Promotional materials highlight a Pikachu plush that reports say accompanied ESA astronaut Sophie Adenot on the ISS for about 67 days and roughly 1,040 Earth orbits, a symbolic element the partners are using in exhibits and merchandise.
- The campaign aims to broaden outreach by connecting a popular entertainment brand to real space topics, a move that could increase young people’s engagement with science and prompt more museums and digital platforms to blend pop culture with formal STEM content.