2026 · Avio S.p.A
Solar wind Magnetosphere Ionosphere Link Explorer (SMILE)
successVega-C | Solar wind Magnetosphere Ionosphere Link Explorer (SMILE)
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.
Overview
- Date / time
- May 19, 2026 at 03:52 AM UTC
- Outcome
- success
- Launch site
- Ariane Launch Area 1 (ELV)
- Mission
- Solar wind Magnetosphere Ionosphere Link Explorer (SMILE)
- Mission type
- Astrophysics
- Orbit achieved
- Elliptical Orbit