Avio S.p.A

Solar wind Magnetosphere Ionosphere Link Explorer (SMILE)

SUCCESS
✓ Mission success

On 19 MAY · 03:52 UTC 2026, Vega-C delivered Solar wind Magnetosphere Ionosphere Link Explorer (SMILE) to Elliptical Orbit.

Vega-C — Solar wind Magnetosphere Ionosphere Link Explorer (SMILE)
T-0 (flown)
19 MAY · 03:52 UTC
Window
Instantaneous
Rocket
Vega-C
Operator
Avio S.p.A
Pad
Ariane Launch Area 1 (ELV) · Guiana Space Centre, French Guiana
Payload
Solar wind Magnetosphere Ionosphere Link Explorer (SMILE)
Orbit
Elliptical Orbit

Mission

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.