Pikachu, a spacesuit-clad yellow plush toy, spent 67 days and completed 1,040 orbits aboard the International Space Station from April 11 to June 17 with European Space Agency astronauts. A YouTube video featuring French astronaut Sophie Adenot touring Pikachu around the ISS has been viewed over one million times. Pikachu’s space journey is part of a collaboration between ESA and Pokémon to inspire interest in space exploration, particularly among younger audiences through educational exhibitions and augmented reality games.
Written locally by qwen2.5:14b on 2026-10-10,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
Astronaut Pikachu, a plush toy dressed in a spacesuit, spent 67 days and completed 1,040 orbits aboard the International Space Station (ISS) from April 11 to June 17. The mission aimed to spark interest in space exploration as part of an ESA-Pokemon collaboration. French astronaut Sophie Adenot documented Pikachu's journey through a YouTube video viewed over a million times, showcasing various parts of the ISS. Following Adenot’s 237-day mission, which set a record for the longest single spaceflight by a European astronaut, Pikachu returned to Earth and began touring across Europe in late October 2023, visiting locations such as London's Science Museum, Cité de l’espace in Toulouse, France, and Space Expo in Noordwijk, Netherlands.
Written for “Astronaut Pikachu Mission” on 2026-10-10,
grounded in this article and the 0 other(s) covering the same event.
Astronaut Pikachu logs 67 days and 1,040 orbits aboard ISS – now catch him on Earth
AI generated
asserted
Pikachu → log → Earth
After 67 days and 1,040 orbits on board the International Space Station (ISS), Pikachu is back on Earth and on tour across Europe to stoke interest in space exploration.
asserted
Pikachu → stoke → exploration
The spacesuit-clad, yellow, plush space traveller was at the orbiting laboratory from April 11 to June 17 with crew members from the European Space Agency (ESA).
asserted
traveller → clothe → Agency
A YouTube video posted on Oct 6 that has since been viewed over a million times shows French astronaut Sophie Adenot giving the plush toy a tour of the ISS.
asserted
Adenot → post → ISS
Pikachu is seen being guided through the station, with visits to its water dispenser, laboratory freezers and crew quarters.
asserted
Pikachu → see → dispenser
Adenot closes the video by telling Pikachu that, even in space, “you have a tendency to hide everywhere”.
asserted
you → close → tendency
“Yeah, I know you like this game,” she tells him.
asserted
she → know → him
Adenot returned to Earth on Oct 8, splashing down in the Pacific Ocean off California aboard SpaceX’s Dragon capsule with three other Crew-12 astronauts.
asserted
Adenot → return → astronauts
Her 237-day mission set a record for the longest single spaceflight by a European astronaut.
asserted
mission → set → astronaut
Pikachu’s space adventure is part of a wider ESA-Pokemon collaboration marking World Space Week from Oct 4 to 10.
asserted
adventure → mark → 10
The partnership includes a travelling, family-friendly exhibition combining space science with Pokemon storytelling.
asserted
partnership → include → storytelling
Displays explain how Europe launches spacecraft, supports astronauts, studies the sun and explores the solar system.
asserted
Europe → explain → system
“Inspiring future generations is a key part of ESA’s mission,” said Josef Aschbacher, the agency’s director-general.
asserted
Aschbacher → inspire → mission
“Through this collaboration with Pokemon, we are unlocking new ways for people across Europe to connect with space through a unique and engaging experience.”
asserted
people → unlock → experience
For fans who prefer their scientific outreach with something to catch, Pokemon Go offered an Astronaut Pikachu through one-star raids and timed research at six European science and space museums.
asserted
Go → prefer → museums
The locations included London’s Science Museum; Cité de l’espace in Toulouse, France; Deutsches Museum in Nuremberg, Germany; Museu de les Ciències in Valencia, Spain; Space Expo in Noordwijk, Netherlands; and Euro Space Center in Transinne, Belgium.
asserted
locations → include → Transinne
The event ran through Oct 10.
asserted
event → run → Oct
A rare Shiny version of Astronaut Pikachu was also offered.
asserted
version → offer → Pikachu
Pikachu joins an elite club of plush space travellers that include Snoopy, who was on NASA’s uncrewed Artemis I lunar mission, and Grogu, the mascot on SpaceX’s Crew-1 flight.
asserted
who → join → flight
The Aporia
