MISSION NAME
Solar wind Magnetosphere Ionosphere Link Explorer (SMILE)
Status
TBD
DATE
8 APR 2026
LAUNCH PROVIDER
Arianespace
Launch Pad
Ariane Launch Area 1 (ELV)
Description
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.
Vega-C
Rocket Description
Vega-C is a single-body rocket nearly 35 m high with that weighs 210 tonnes on the launch pad. As with Vega, its main elements are three solid-propellant stages, an upper stage powered by a reignitable liquid-propellant engine and a payload fairing. Vega-C's P120C first stage replaces Vega’s smaller P80 to provide a significant increase in thrust at liftoff. It is also used as boosters (2 or 4) for the Ariane 6 rocket.