A Pikachu ex card, number 238/191, has been photographed aboard the International Space Station. The Pokémon Company International (TPCi) shared the news during World Space Week 2026, and two outlets report it as the first time Pokémon TCG cards have gone to space.
Which Pokémon cards went to the ISS with Sophie Adenot?
According to PokeBeach, ESA astronaut Sophie Adenot took two Pokémon TCG cards to the International Space Station: a Pikachu ex and a Minior . TPCi revealed this around 7 October 2026 as part of its collaboration with the European Space Agency.
Quick Answer: PokeBeach reports that ESA astronaut Sophie Adenot took a Pikachu ex and a Minior card to the ISS. Screen Rant identifies the Pikachu ex as the Surging Sparks Special Illustration Rare, 238/191. TPCi shared the news on X on 8 October 2026, during World Space Week (4–10 October).
Screen Rant reports that the official Pokémon account posted the news on X on 8 October 2026. It says the photos show both cards floating in microgravity with Earth in the background .
"We can confirm, these cards are out of this world," — official Pokémon account on X, as quoted by Screen Rant
Here is what the reports say about each card:
- Pikachu ex: Screen Rant says it is the Special Illustration Rare from Scarlet & Violet—Surging Sparks, card 238/191 .
- Minior: No confirmed set or card number has been published. Reports also disagree on its rarity.
- Timing: The news came out during World Space Week, which runs 4–10 October 2026 .
PokeBeach and Screen Rant both describe these as the first Pokémon TCG cards sent to space. That claim comes from those two outlets. ESA's collaboration announcement and Pokémon's World Space Week news post only mention a Pikachu plush that went to the station. They do not mention trading cards.
What do we know about Pikachu ex 238/191 from Surging Sparks?
According to Screen Rant, the Pikachu ex in the ISS photos is card 238/191 from Scarlet & Violet—Surging Sparks. It is printed at Special Illustration Rare rarity . Because the number is higher than the set's 191-card main count, this is a secret rare printing.
The identification comes from Screen Rant's reading of the photos in the official @Pokemon post on X. The research for this article could not open that post directly. PokeBeach reports only that a Pikachu ex and a Minior went aboard. It does not give a set or card number .
| Detail | Pikachu ex | Minior |
|---|---|---|
| Set | Scarlet & Violet—Surging Sparks (per Screen Rant) | Not stated in available sources |
| Card number | 238/191 (per Screen Rant) | Not stated in available sources |
| Rarity | Special Illustration Rare | Disputed: Screen Rant says Special Illustration Rare; PokeBeach commenters say Illustration Rare |
| Reported price | About US$283 on TCGPlayer (per Screen Rant, 2026-10) | Not reported |
Screen Rant says 238/191 was the most valuable card in Surging Sparks when the set launched.
The same outlet puts the card's recent TCGPlayer market price at about US$283 . Read that number as a snapshot from the time of reporting. It does not show any effect from the space trip, and no source here links the ISS news to a price change.
Key points for collectors:
- The card itself is a regular retail printing. No source describes a special space edition, stamp or new release tied to the flight.
- The cards flown to the ISS are single physical copies. Their whereabouts after the mission have not been reported.
- The Minior's set, number and rarity have not been confirmed, so any Minior listing marketed as "the space card" cannot yet be checked against a source.
How solid is the report? What is confirmed and what is not
The card report rests on one first-party source: an X post from the official @Pokemon account. That post is relayed by PokeBeach and Screen Rant. The flight of the Astronaut Pikachu plush is a separate matter, and ESA and Pokémon have both confirmed it on their own sites. As of 10 October 2026, no ESA or pokemon.com page names the Pikachu ex or the Minior.
According to PokeBeach, TPCi revealed the cards around 7 October 2026 as part of its ESA collaboration for World Space Week . Screen Rant dates the @Pokemon post to 8 October 2026 and quotes it as saying: "We can confirm, these cards are out of this world" . We could not open the X post itself for this report, so the card details here come from those two outlets and have not been checked against the post.
Pokémon's own 4 October news post says Adenot traveled to space with "a special Pikachu plush." It does not mention trading cards . The Pokémon Center product post from 1 October lists TCG accessories: a double deck box, sleeves, a playmat and a binder. It lists no cards . ESA's announcement covers only the plush .
No source reviewed for this report says:
- when the cards went up to the station or how they got there
- when or whether they came back to Earth, or who holds them now
- when the photos of the cards floating with Earth behind them were taken
- the Minior's set, number or rarity. Screen Rant calls it a Special Illustration Rare, while PokeBeach commenters call it an Illustration Rare.
| Claim | Source | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Astronaut Pikachu plush flew to the ISS (11 April–17 June 2026, 67 days) | ESA, pokemon.com | Confirmed by official post |
| Pikachu ex and Minior cards were taken aboard the ISS | @Pokemon on X, via PokeBeach and Screen Rant | Reported by press |
| The Pikachu ex is Surging Sparks 238/191 | Screen Rant | Reported by press |
| These were the first Pokémon cards in space | PokeBeach, Screen Rant | Reported by press |
| Minior set, number and rarity | None | Not stated |
| How and when the cards were flown and returned | None | Not stated |
The plush dates in the first row come from ESA . Nintendo Wire gave 27 June as the end date instead . This article uses ESA's date, which matches the 67-day total.
What happened with the Astronaut Pikachu plush?
An Astronaut Pikachu plush flew to the International Space Station during Sophie Adenot's mission. It went up separately from the trading cards and came back to Earth well before she did. ESA says the plush spent 67 days in orbit, from 11 April to 17 June 2026, and completed about 1,040 orbits .
Unlike the cards, the plush trip is confirmed on first-party pages. In a news post on Pokémon.com dated 4 October 2026, The Pokémon Company says Adenot "traveled to space" with "a special Pikachu plush" and captured moments "both on Earth and onboard the International Space Station" . That post does not mention trading cards.
ESA has published two photos of the plush:
- "Pikachu in the Cupola", credited © ESA/NASA – S. Adenot, shows the plush floating in the European-built Cupola observation module .
- A second ESA image shows Adenot holding the plush at the European Astronaut Centre in Cologne, Germany .
The dates show the plush and Adenot travelled on different schedules. NASA records her Crew-12 launch on 13 February 2026 . ESA's orbit window for the plush starts nearly two months later, on 11 April. Any report saying the plush launched with her in February conflicts with ESA's timeline. The plush's stay ended on 17 June, months before Crew-12 left the station in October.
The end date also differs between sources. Nintendo Wire gave 27 June . ESA's 17 June date matches its own 67-day total.
The plushes on sale are not the one that flew. A Pokémon Center product post dated 1 October 2026 says the white-suited Astronaut Pikachu plush has the same design as the one Adenot took to the ISS. It also says the retail version "didn't actually make the trip" . The range also includes a female Astronaut Pikachu plush in a blue flight suit. The product post lists no prices.
Who is Sophie Adenot and what was her ISS mission?
Sophie Adenot is a French astronaut with the European Space Agency (ESA). Her first spaceflight was ESA's εpsilon (Epsilon) mission to the International Space Station. ESA says she spent more than 200 days in space, carried out scientific research and completed three spacewalks over the summer .
She launched on NASA's SpaceX Crew-12 on 13 February 2026 at 5:15 a.m. EST. A Falcon 9 lifted off from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, carrying the Dragon spacecraft "Freedom" (source: NASA) . The launch had been set for 11 February, but weather delayed it twice .
The Crew-12 crew, according to ESA and NASA :
- Jessica Meir (NASA), Commander
- Jack Hathaway (NASA), Pilot
- Sophie Adenot (ESA), Mission Specialist
- Andrey Fedyaev (Roscosmos), Mission Specialist
Dragon docked on its own to the space-facing port of the Harmony module on 14 February at 3:15 p.m., about 34 hours after launch .
NASA reports that Adenot became the first French woman to perform a spacewalk outside the station . The sources used for this report do not give the total time of her three spacewalks.
Crew-12 began leaving the station around 7 October 2026, and the crew has since splashed down. NASA puts the mission at 237 days, more than 100 million miles and more than 3,792 orbits . That puts the card announcement on X at about the same time Adenot was leaving the ISS. The exact splashdown time and location are not in the sources reviewed here. We also could not confirm from those sources whether the mission set a European duration record, so this report makes no record claim.
What is the ESA and Pokémon World Space Week collaboration?
The World Space Week collaboration is a joint program between the European Space Agency and The Pokémon Company International. It includes a touring exhibition, Pokémon GO content and licensed merchandise. ESA announced it on 19 September 2026 . World Space Week itself runs from 4 to 10 October 2026 .
ESA Director General Josef Aschbacher explained the agency's reason for the partnership in its official announcement:
"Inspiring future generations is a key part of ESA's mission. Through this collaboration with Pokémon, we are unlocking new ways for people across Europe to connect with space through a unique and engaging experience," — Josef Aschbacher, Director General at the European Space Agency (source: ESA)
ESA and Pokémon created the exhibition together. It started at ESA sites in Paris, Frascati, Noordwijk, Darmstadt, Spain and Harwell in the UK. The Harwell date is 10 October 2026 . From October 2026 to April 2027, it then moves to these museums :
- Cité de l'espace, Toulouse
- A museum in Valencia (ESA's announcement names the city only)
- Deutsches Museum, Nuremberg
- Euro Space Center, Transinne
- A venue in Lucca
- Science Museum, London
- Space Expo, Noordwijk
Pokémon GO is offering Astronaut Pikachu encounters at participating museums from 4 October 2026 to 30 April 2027. Extra content was added for 4–10 October .
On merchandise, the Pokémon Center product post lists the items below, but gives no prices or new cards :
- Two Astronaut Pikachu plush, one in a white suit and one in a blue flight suit
- Figures, apparel, a pin and patch set, and a puzzle
- TCG accessories: a double deck box, sleeves, a playmat and a binder
ESA's own shop sells Pikachu T-shirts, tote bags, notepads and pins, according to Pokémon's World Space Week post . The sources reviewed here do not confirm any specific retail prices. Check PokemonCenter.com for current pricing before you buy.
What should collectors watch next?
Collectors should watch for one thing: a first-party source that states the card details in writing. The Pikachu ex and Minior claims currently rest on an @Pokemon post on X, as reported by PokeBeach and Screen Rant .
Three open items are worth tracking:
- Minior's set and number. Reports disagree on the card's rarity. Screen Rant calls it a Special Illustration Rare, while PokeBeach commenters call it an Illustration Rare. No source reviewed here gives its set or collector number.
- An official Pokémon.com or ESA post naming the cards. Pokémon's World Space Week news post and ESA's announcement cover only the plush. Neither says when or how the cards were flown.
- Current listings for Pikachu ex 238/191. Screen Rant put the Surging Sparks card at about US$283 on TCGPlayer . That figure is a snapshot from October 2026, not a forecast. Check live sold listings before you buy or sell.
The takeaway: the space flight is confirmed only through press coverage of a social post, and neither ISS card is being sold. Until Pokémon or ESA publishes the details, treat the Minior details and any price movement as unconfirmed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Did Sophie Adenot take Pokémon cards to the ISS?
Press reports say she did. According to PokeBeach, The Pokémon Company International revealed that ESA astronaut Sophie Adenot brought a Pikachu ex card and a Minior card aboard the International Space Station . TPCi made the reveal as part of its World Space Week collaboration with ESA. Screen Rant traces the news to an October 8, 2026 post from the official @Pokemon account on X that read "We can confirm, these cards are out of this world" . Pokémon's own World Space Week news post and ESA's announcement mention only the plush. Neither names the cards.
Which Pikachu ex card went to space?
Screen Rant identifies it as the Special Illustration Rare Pikachu ex from Scarlet & Violet—Surging Sparks, card number 238/191 . No source available so far gives a confirmed set, number or rarity for the Minior card. Screen Rant and PokeBeach commenters describe its rarity differently, so treat any Minior listing details as unconfirmed.
Were these the first Pokémon TCG cards in space?
The reporting outlets say so. PokeBeach and Screen Rant both describe the Pikachu ex and Minior as the first Pokémon cards in space. They note that earlier stunts by other companies only got cards as high as the stratosphere . No first-party page on pokemon.com or esa.int makes that "first" claim.
Did the Pikachu plush really fly to the ISS?
Yes, and ESA confirms it directly. According to ESA, an Astronaut Pikachu plush spent 67 days in orbit, from April 11 to June 17, 2026, and completed about 1,040 orbits . ESA also published a photo of it floating in the Cupola module. The plushes sold on Pokémon Center use the same design, but Pokémon's product post says the retail versions "didn't actually make the trip" .
When did Sophie Adenot return to Earth?
Adenot launched on NASA's SpaceX Crew-12 on February 13, 2026, and arrived at the ISS on February 14 . NASA reports that Crew-12 began leaving the station around October 7, 2026, and has since splashed down. NASA puts the mission at 237 days and more than 3,792 orbits . The cited sources do not give the exact splashdown date or location.
SnapHolo prices for the cards and sets in this article
Scarlet & Violet—Surging Sparks
| Card | Edition | Rarity | SnapHolo price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pikachu ex 238 | English | Special Illustration Rare | $270.46 |
| Latias ex 239 | English | Special Illustration Rare | $177.62 |
| Milotic ex 237 | English | Special Illustration Rare | $103.63 |
| Pikachu ex 247 | English | Hyper Rare | $72.57 |
| Durant ex 236 | English | Special Illustration Rare | $37.22 |
| Hydreigon ex 240 | English | Special Illustration Rare | $33.39 |
| Latios 203 | English | Illustration Rare | $28.65 |
| Pikachu ex 219 | English | Ultra Rare | $25.90 |
| Alolan Exeggutor ex 242 | English | Special Illustration Rare | $24.34 |
| Lisia's Appeal 246 | English | Special Illustration Rare | $23.30 |
| Ceruledge 197 | English | Illustration Rare | $21.85 |
| Jasmine's Gaze 245 | English | Special Illustration Rare | $21.09 |
| Archaludon ex 241 | English | Special Illustration Rare | $12.79 |
| Mesprit 204 | English | Illustration Rare | $12.31 |
| Slakoth 212 | English | Illustration Rare | $11.28 |
| Gravity Mountain 250 | English | Hyper Rare | $11.19 |
| Alolan Exeggutor ex 248 | English | Hyper Rare | $10.70 |
| Spheal 199 | English | Illustration Rare | $10.09 |
| Night Stretcher 251 | English | Hyper Rare | $9.38 |
| Phanpy 205 | English | Illustration Rare | $8.99 |
| Skarmory 209 | English | Illustration Rare | $8.43 |
| Appletun 211 | English | Illustration Rare | $7.76 |
| Castform Sunny Form 195 | English | Illustration Rare | $7.61 |
| Latias ex 220 | English | Ultra Rare | $7.52 |
| Feebas 198 | English | Illustration Rare | $7.31 |
| Kecleon 213 | English | Illustration Rare | $7.28 |
| Clemont's Quick Wit 243 | English | Special Illustration Rare | $7.18 |
| Drayton 244 | English | Special Illustration Rare | $6.91 |
| Exeggcute 192 | English | Illustration Rare | $6.84 |
| Alolan Dugtrio 208 | English | Illustration Rare | $6.77 |
Ungraded card prices as of 2026-10-18 (KST).
Sources: PokeBeach · Screen Rant · ESA · news post on Pokémon.com · Pokémon's product post · Nintendo Wire · "Pikachu in the Cupola" · A second ESA image · NASA · ESA (2)
