First Pokémon Cards in Space: Pikachu ex and Minior

The first Pokémon cards in space are official: for World Space Week 2026, the European Space Agency ESA and The Pokémon Company revealed that two trading cards were on board the International Space Station ISS. On board: Pikachu ex and Minior.

The mission

  • The cards flew to the ISS with ESA astronaut Sophie Adenot.
  • Mission duration: 11 April to 17 June 2026, so 67 days.
  • In that time the cards orbited Earth around 1,040 times.
  • An astronaut Pikachu plush came along too.
  • It was announced on 6 October 2026.

The photos from the Cupola

ESA released photos showing both cards floating weightless in front of the Cupola windows, with Earth in the background.

Pikachu ex card floating in the ISS Cupola in front of Earth
Pikachu ex in the Cupola of the ISS.
Minior card floating in the ISS Cupola in front of Earth
Minior, a Meteor Pokémon, in its most fitting place.

Which cards exactly?

The photos show the English editions. Both are illustration cards from the Scarlet & Violet era:

  • Pikachu ex 238/191 from Surging Sparks, Special Illustration Rare in the Tera look. Readable in the photo: Ability “Resolute Heart” and attack “Topaz Bolt”.
  • Minior 201/182 from Paradox Rift, Illustration Rare. Readable in the photo: Ability “Far-Flying Meteor” and attack “Gravitational Tackle”.

What happens to the two cards now, whether exhibition, auction or archive, is not known.

Part of the ESA collaboration

The space cards are part of the collaboration between ESA and Pokémon, which also includes a touring exhibition and accessories in ESA design. Selected items are available in the official Pokémon Center online shop. Everything about it is in our article ESA x Pokémon: exhibition, sleeves and playmats.

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Source: PokeZentrum, 6 October 2026. Photos: ESA. Card numbers checked against the photos and the official card scans.

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