Since the game’s release, fans have been asking one peculiar question: Has Pokemon GO extended its reach to the stars above a la Team Rocket? Sorry, guys – It doesn’t look like it. According to NASA, astronauts definitely aren’t able to play Pokemon GO while they’re in space.
Maybe this is why no one has managed to catch Mewtwo yet? Perhaps the genetically engineered creature had enough of trainers hunting it down and quietly chose to hop out of the atmosphere. But, according to the space institute, the psychic pokemon couldn’t have done such a thing.
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NASA answered fans’ intergalactic curiosity in a statement which reads, “Unfortunately, it is not possible for the astronauts to play. While there is a small number of smartphones available on the space station, the crew uses them for science activities, but not for personal use. The smartphones and other mobile devices on station (tablets) also do not have internet connectivity.”
Pokemon at @NASA_Johnson‘s rocket part! Lots of Jynx! #NASAIntern #PokemonGo #Houston @PokemonGoNews pic.twitter.com/1Cemqvjxsc
— Kirsi Kuutti (@KirsiCootie) July 9, 2016
So, while astronauts shouldn’t expect to find any special legendaries while in orbit, Earth-bound explorers have found that NASA is embracing Pokemon GO in other areas. Players have been sharing screenshots of them capturing creatures around NASA’s Saturn V rockets in Houston, TX at the Johnson Space Center. And, furthermore, the agency’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory apparently doubles as a local gym for trainers-slash-rocket scientists.
For now, it seems like Pokemon GO is limited to its terrestrial boundaries. But who’s to say the game won’t eventually make its way to the moon? If Team Rocket could dream of reaching the stars one day, then surely Nintendo can find a workaround with NASA to bring their popular game to astronauts looking to unwind from their gravity-defying job.
After all, even if the International Space Station isn’t blasting off at the speed of light, the spacecraft does go pretty fast as it clocks over 17,000 mph. With that kind of speed in their disposal, just imagine the number of PokeStops the crew could hit a day! It’s be only a matter of time until they become unstoppable.
