SMILE

SMILE carries an ultraviolet imager, an in-situ plasma analyzer, and a magnetometer.

The CCD370 imaging sensors used in SMILE’s Soft X-ray Imager are manufactured in Chelmsford, England.

The Vega C launch placed the SMILE scientific satellite into orbit.

Smile is now flying independently after separation from the Vega-C upper stage.

The University of Liège will analyze data collected by SMILE.

SMILE's UltraViolet Imager will image Earth's auroras over both the north and south poles.

SMILE's Soft X-ray Imager will spectrally map Earth's magnetopause, magnetosheath, and magnetospheric cusps.

The Royal Belgian Institute for Space Aeronomy is involved in SMILE with a focus on the properties of the solar wind.

ESA received Smile’s first signal at its New Norcia ground station in Australia at 06:48 CEST on 19 May 2026.

Smile will compare X-ray images of the magnetosphere with ultraviolet images of auroras to track solar wind-driven disturbances in Earth’s magnetic environment.

Institutes and companies in 14 European countries contributed to Smile’s payload module and X-ray camera.

SMILE is designed to study the interaction between the solar wind and Earth’s magnetosphere.

Smile is a joint European Space Agency and Chinese Academy of Sciences mission.

SMILE carries two Light Ion Analysers.

The United Kingdom and Spain provided the largest contributions to Smile’s payload module and X-ray camera.

Smile will raise its altitude through 11 engine burns over the next month into an extremely elliptical orbit reaching 121,000 km above the North Pole and 5,000 km above the South Pole.

SMILE’s data are intended to help scientists better predict when and where space weather will cause disruptions or anomalies.

Smile separated from the Vega-C upper stage on May 19, 2026.