Joint mission between the European Space Agency and the Chinese Academy of Sciences to investigate the interaction between Earth’s protective shield – the magnetosphere – and the supersonic solar wind.
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Avio S.p.A
Vega-C
Solar wind Magnetosphere Ionosphere Link Explorer (SMILE)
Live tracking
T-0 (UTC)03:52 UTC
VehicleVega-C
StatusSuccess
T-0 (UTC)19 May 2026 at 03:52 UTC
VehicleVega-C
Launch padAriane Launch Area 1 (ELV)
CountryGUF
TypeAstrophysics
Coverage
Around this mission
After cooperation on SMILE mission, ESA and China chart parallel but separate paths
ESA and China recently launched the joint SMILE magnetosphere mission after a decade of cooperation, but despite similar goals, another collaboration appears distant. The post After cooperation on SMILE mission, ESA and China chart parallel but separate paths appeared first on SpaceNews.
Smile: cleanroom to space
Smile successfully launched from Europe’s Spaceport in French Guiana on 19 May 2026.
Launch Preview: Falcon 9, Electron, and Vega C launch missions alongside Starship Flight 12
Six launches are scheduled worldwide during the next week, with the 12th flight of SpaceX’s… The post Launch Preview: Falcon 9, Electron, and Vega C launch missions alongside Starship Flight 12 appeared first on NASASpaceFlight.com.
Smile launch highlights
ESA’s Smile satellite launched aboard a Vega-C rocket from Europe’s Spaceport in French Guiana. The rocket lifted off on at 04:52 BST / 05:52 CEST (00:52 local time) on 19 May 2026.
ESA-China SMILE mission lifts off to deliver first global images of Earth’s magnetosphere
The SMILE mission developed jointly by the European Space Agency and China has reached orbit after more than a decade of preparations and cooperation. The post ESA-China SMILE mission lifts off to deliver first global images of Earth’s magnetosphere appeared first on SpaceNews.
Smile lifts off on quest to reveal Earth’s invisible shield against the solar wind
The Smile spacecraft lifted off on a Vega-C rocket from Europe’s Spaceport in French Guiana at 04:52 BST / 05:52 CEST (00:52 local time) on 19 May 2026. The launch marks the beginning of an ambitious mission to better understand solar storms, geomagnetic storms, and the science of space weather.