Pokémon GO World Space Week 2026 runs globally from Sunday, October 4 at 12:00 a.m. until Saturday, October 10, 2026 at 11:59 p.m. local time. Astronaut Pikachu makes its worldwide debut in one-star raids, and Trainers can receive free Timed Research for an Astronaut Pikachu encounter, but completing it requires five Raid Battle wins.
Pokémon GO World Space Week 2026 is a global event, so Astronaut Pikachu is available without travelling to one of the European Space Agency locations or partner museums. Those separate in-person locations still have their own longer event windows and special Location Background opportunities.
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Pokémon GO World Space Week 2026: Dates, Raids and Research
Pokémon GO World Space Week 2026 is a one-week worldwide event with a deliberately small feature list. Astronaut Pikachu appears in one-star raids from October 4 through October 10, while the free-to-receive Timed Research offers an additional encounter after five raid wins and remains available until October 12.
| Feature | Confirmed information |
|---|---|
| Event dates | October 4 at 12:00 a.m. to October 10 at 11:59 p.m. local time |
| Raid | Astronaut Pikachu in one-star raids |
| Timed Research | Free to receive; five raid wins required |
| Research reward | Astronaut Pikachu encounter and additional rewards |
| Research deadline | October 12, 2026 at 11:59 p.m. local time |
| Shiny | Astronaut Pikachu can be Shiny |
Astronaut Pikachu in One-Star Raids
The raid side of Pokémon GO World Space Week 2026 is straightforward: Astronaut Pikachu is the announced one-star raid boss. Because this is the global event, Trainers can look for those raids in their own local area rather than travelling to the separate European museum collaboration.
Astronaut Pikachu is marked as Shiny-eligible during Pokémon GO World Space Week 2026. Pokémon GO does not announce a boosted Shiny rate on the World Space Week page, so the official information confirms that a Shiny can appear but does not promise better odds or a guaranteed result.
Free World Space Week Timed Research
The free Timed Research for Pokémon GO World Space Week 2026 is now live, and it is built around five cumulative raid-win milestones. You need five raid victories in total, not 15: the first win completes the first milestone, the second clears the two-win milestone, and progress continues through the fifth. The research is free to receive, but each raid requires an eligible Raid Pass. Free daily Raid Passes can count, so purchasing passes isn’t mandatory if you can complete enough raids before the deadline.
| Task | Reward |
|---|---|
| Win a Raid | 2,500 XP |
| Win 2 Raids | 2,500 Stardust |
| Win 3 Raids | 2,500 XP |
| Win 4 Raids | 2,500 Stardust |
| Win 5 Raids | 2,500 XP |
Finishing the page awards an Astronaut Pikachu encounter, another 2,500 XP and another 2,500 Stardust. Our Pokémon GO World Space Week Timed Research guide has the full task and reward breakdown if you want to track each step separately.
The most important timing rule for Pokémon GO World Space Week 2026 is that the research deadline extends beyond the featured Astronaut Pikachu raids. The World Space Week event ends on October 10 at 11:59 p.m. local time, but the Timed Research must be completed and its rewards claimed by Monday, October 12 at 11:59 p.m. local time.
Global Event vs the ESA Museum Collaboration
Image credit: Pokémon GO
Pokémon GO World Space Week 2026 and the European Space Agency collaboration overlap, but they are not the same event. The global event gives Trainers worldwide access to Astronaut Pikachu through one-star raids and free Timed Research from October 4 to October 10.
The separate museum collaboration runs much longer at six European museums, from October 4, 2026 through April 30, 2027. Those in-person museum raids can offer an Astronaut Pikachu with a special Location Background, which is a different collector goal from simply obtaining the costume during Pokémon GO World Space Week 2026.
Do You Need to Travel for Astronaut Pikachu?
No. Pokémon GO World Space Week 2026 means the standard Astronaut Pikachu costume is available worldwide during the October 4 to October 10 event window. A local one-star raid or the free Timed Research can provide the encounter without a trip to London, Paris, Madrid or another European event site.
Travel only becomes relevant if you are specifically chasing the museum Location Background or the longer European availability window. Older coverage of Pokémon GO World Space Week 2026 can easily blur the global event together with the separate ESA museum collaboration, so check which version of Astronaut Pikachu you are actually after.
Do You Need Raid Passes for World Space Week Research?
The Timed Research is not a no-raiding alternative. Although you receive it for free, the final Astronaut Pikachu encounter requires five raid wins. One-star raids are a manageable option for many Trainers, and daily free Raid Passes can help limit the cost if you have enough time. Battling Astronaut Pikachu during the global event also offers extra encounters, but the featured event raids end on October 10.
The one-star tier should also make Astronaut Pikachu an accessible raid target for many Trainers, but the game lobby is still the final place to check the active boss and battle details. Pokémon GO World Space Week 2026 does not list any exclusive move, special raid bonus or increased Shiny rate beyond the costume’s confirmed availability.
Research Deadline After World Space Week Ends
The main Pokémon GO World Space Week 2026 event ends on October 10, but the Timed Research gets a little longer. Trainers have until October 12 at 11:59 p.m. local time to finish the five cumulative raid wins and claim every reward.
That two-day buffer gives you more time to finish the five raids, including eligible raids after the featured Astronaut Pikachu raid window closes. However, Timed Research still expires. Open the research during Pokémon GO World Space Week 2026, check your remaining steps before October 12 and claim the Astronaut Pikachu encounter before the deadline rather than leaving a finished page uncollected.
Pokémon GO World Space Week 2026 finally gives Astronaut Pikachu a clear global route alongside the separate European location event. For most Trainers, the plan is to finish five raid wins for the free Timed Research encounter, battle Astronaut Pikachu in one-star raids while the global event is active for additional chances, and consider museum travel only if the Location Background or extended availability is the goal.
