Launch Vega-C / Solar wind Magnetosphere Ionosphere Link Explorer (SMILE)

Name: Launch Vega-C / Solar wind Magnetosphere Ionosphere Link Explorer (SMILE)
Start: 2026-05-19T00:00:00-03:00
End: 2026-05-19T23:59:59-03:00
Location: Ariane Launch Area 1 (ELV), Guiana Space Centre, French Guiana

May 19

Set for 00:52 French Guiana Time UTC-3 | 17:52 HST May 18 to send astrophysics satellite to elliptical orbit. 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.