Pokémon GO World Space Week Timed Research is now live, and the complete task list is much simpler than the pre-event version suggested. The free research has one page built entirely around raid wins, with rewards alternating between XP and Stardust before a final Astronaut Pikachu encounter.
There are five raid objectives in Pokémon GO World Space Week Timed Research, so Trainers who want the costume encounter should plan around raid availability rather than ordinary catches or field tasks. The research can be completed during World Space Week and remains claimable until Monday, October 12, 2026 at 11:59 p.m. local time.
Pokémon GO World Space Week Timed Research tasks and rewards
The live research is one page with five cumulative raid milestones. You do not need to find five different species or use a particular raid tier. Each completed raid advances the relevant task, which makes one-star Astronaut Pikachu raids a convenient option when they are available nearby.
| 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 |
The final Pokémon GO World Space Week Timed Research rewards are an Astronaut Pikachu encounter, another 2,500 XP and another 2,500 Stardust. Across the page, that gives 10,000 XP and 7,500 Stardust when the individual and final rewards are combined.
How many raids do you need to win?
You need five raid wins to clear the full page. Because the objectives stack upward from one win to five, your first victory also satisfies the first milestone, your second completes the two-raid task, and so on. You are not being asked to win 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 5 separate raids.
That makes Pokémon GO World Space Week Timed Research much cheaper in time and Raid Passes than the task list can initially look. Five total wins are enough, provided each victory registers while the research is active on your account.
Fastest way to complete the research
One-star raids are the easiest route for most Trainers because they can usually be cleared solo and do not require waiting for a large lobby. Astronaut Pikachu is itself appearing in one-star raids during World Space Week, so those raids can progress the research while also giving extra chances at the new costume.
If your area has poor raid density, use the full event window rather than trying to force all five wins immediately. Pokémon GO World Space Week Timed Research does not require the five raids to be completed in one day, and the separate research deadline provides additional time after the event itself ends.
Can Astronaut Pikachu be Shiny?
Yes. Astronaut Pikachu can be Shiny during World Space Week, including the encounter from the research. The encounter is not advertised as a guaranteed Shiny, so completing Pokémon GO World Space Week Timed Research gives one confirmed costume encounter rather than a guaranteed rare version.
Astronaut Pikachu also appears in one-star raids, which gives collectors more opportunities after the research encounter has been claimed. If the costume is your main goal, combining those raids with the five research wins is the most efficient overlap.
When does the Timed Research expire?
The tasks and rewards must be completed and claimed by Monday, October 12, 2026 at 11:59 p.m. local time. That is later than the main World Space Week event, which runs from October 4 through October 10.
The extra window is useful, but do not leave an unclaimed Astronaut Pikachu sitting indefinitely. Pokémon GO World Space Week Timed Research is still Timed Research, so the entire line disappears after its deadline rather than moving into Special Research.
Why is the research not showing?
Check the Today view after World Space Week has started in your local time zone. The research is free and global, so there is no paid ticket to buy. Restarting Pokémon GO can refresh the event panel if the start time has passed but the research has not appeared.
Also make sure you are looking in the Timed Research area rather than expecting a new Special Research story. Pokémon GO World Space Week Timed Research is designed as a limited event line and carries the October 12 expiry directly on the research screen.
Is the research worth completing?
Yes, especially if you already raid. Five victories return a useful pile of XP and Stardust while guaranteeing an Astronaut Pikachu encounter, and the tasks do not ask for specialised counters or difficult collection conditions.
For collectors, Pokémon GO World Space Week Timed Research is also the cleanest guaranteed route to at least one Astronaut Pikachu. Raids remain useful for extra encounters and Shiny hunting, but the research removes the need to rely entirely on local raid spawns.
Official source: Pokémon GO World Space Week announcement.
