Pikachu

World Space Week runs from October 4 to 10 each year, marking the 1957 launch of Sputnik 1 and the 1967 Outer Space Treaty. The 2026 edition is being widely searched across the US, UK, India, Singapore, Japan and Canada. Coverage includes lighter stories such as a Pikachu figure sent to the International Space Station, alongside the event's annual push for space education.

World Space Week 2026 is being marked this week, with the annual UN-designated celebration of space science and technology running through October. Searches and interest are surging across the US, UK, India, Singapore and Japan. Tie-ins are appearing too, including a Pokémon GO collaboration with the European Space Agency offering a limited-time Astronaut Pikachu as part of the celebrations.

World Space Week 2026 is underway, and the European Space Agency has turned to an unexpected ally to promote science outreach: Pikachu. The ESA dressed the Pokémon character as an astronaut in a campaign aimed at drawing younger audiences into space science. The initiative is drawing attention and some debate as the annual observance of space exploration unfolds across Spain, Mexico and beyond.

Starbucks Japan has launched a collaboration with Pokemon starting September 30, featuring a limited-edition Pikachu latte and exclusive merchandise with newly drawn designs. The tie-up is drawing attention from fans of both brands, who are sharing news of the limited-time drinks and goods ahead of the launch.

World Space Week 2026 is being marked with public events in early October. In Valencia, the Science Museum is hosting ESA and Pokémon exhibition panels from 6 October, alongside a plush replica of the astronaut Pikachu. The theme is drawing attention across Spain and Mexico, where searches around the week are trending high as museums and space agencies roll out outreach activities.

Players of Detective Pikachu Returns on Nintendo Switch report that an ice-type Darmanitan appears in the game, explaining the snowy environments featured in its scenes. Fans are sharing footage and discussing the unexpected variant's presence in the detective adventure, speculating about how the fire-type favourite's frozen counterpart fits into the game's story and setting.

The European Space Agency has released footage showing a stuffed Pikachu doll being given a guided tour of the International Space Station. The playful video, reported by UPI, shows the popular Pokemon character floating through the orbital outpost, delighting space fans and Pokemon enthusiasts alike as the clip circulates widely online.

The Denver Museum of Nature and Science will host the Pokémon Fossil Museum, a traveling exhibition that pairs the franchise's fictional creatures with real fossil specimens to teach paleontology. The exhibit, developed in Japan and previously shown at other museums, uses popular characters like Pikachu to draw visitors into learning about prehistoric life and fossil science.