SMILE Mission: Europe and China Explore Space Together
In May 2026, an exciting new journey into space will begin. The European Space Agency (ESA) and China are working together on the "Smile" mission. On May 19, a Vega-C rocket is scheduled to launch to carry a special satellite into space. This collaboration is an important project for international research and science.
The launch is planned for early morning at 05:52. First, the rocket will place the satellite into a circular orbit at an altitude of about 700 kilometers. But that is only the beginning of the journey. Over the following 25 days, the spacecraft must ignite its engines a total of eleven times. This is the only way it can reach its final position in space step by step.
The main goal of Smile is to better understand the connection between the Sun and the Earth. The Sun constantly emits small particles, known as solar wind. When this wind hits the Earth's magnetic field, complex reactions occur. The mission is intended to use special instruments to observe exactly how these forces of nature interact.
Those interested can follow the launch of the mission live on the internet via the ESA. Smile is an excellent example of how different countries can successfully cooperate in the field of science. The collected data will help researchers worldwide to better understand our solar system and the protection of the Earth from solar storms.