Avio S.p.A Vega-C Solar wind Magnetosphere Ionosphere Link Explorer (SMILE) - space launch mission detailed information

When is Avio S.p.A Vega-C Solar wind Magnetosphere Ionosphere Link Explorer (SMILE)? Launch date 19/MAY/2026 — Vega-C rocket launch by Avio S.p.A from Ariane Launch Area 1 (ELV).

Avio S.p.A Vega-C Solar wind Magnetosphere Ionosphere Link Explorer (SMILE) launch date, launch time, live countdown, live stream and mission status (Success) — tracked on Space Realm.

Avio S.p.A Vega-C Solar wind Magnetosphere Ionosphere Link Explorer (SMILE)

Name: Avio S.p.A Vega-C Solar wind Magnetosphere Ionosphere Link Explorer (SMILE)
Start: 2026-05-19T03:52:10.000Z
Location: Ariane Launch Area 1 (ELV)

Vega-C

Status

Success

Date

19 MAY 2026

03:52

Launch Provider

Avio S.p.A

Launch Pad

Ariane Launch Area 1 (ELV)

Guiana Space Centre, French Guiana

Mission Overview

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.

Rocket

Vega-C

Mission Type

Astrophysics

Orbit

Elliptical Orbit

Stages

Livestream

watch on source

Rocket Details

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.

Height

34.8 m

Diameter

3 m

Launch Mass

210 T

Thrust

2,974 kN