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.
- 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.