A joint European-Chinese spacecraft, SMILE (Solar Wind Magnetosphere Ionosphere Link Explorer), launched on May 19, 2026, from Kourou, French Guiana, aboard a Vega-C rocket. The mission aims to study how Earth's magnetic field interacts with solar wind and coronal mass ejections—powerful bursts of plasma from the Sun that can disrupt satellites, power grids, and astronaut safety. For the first time, SMILE will capture X-ray images of these interactions, offering unprecedented views of our planet's 'invisible armour' in action.

The spacecraft entered an extremely elliptical orbit, reaching 121,000 kilometers above the North Pole and 5,000 kilometers over the South Pole, enabling 45-hour continuous observations of the northern lights. It will transmit data via Antarctica’s Bernardo O'Higgins research station. This marks the first time the European Space Agency (ESA) and the Chinese Academy of Sciences have jointly led all phases of a space mission—from design to operation.

Solar storms have historically caused major disruptions, such as the 1859 Carrington Event, which shocked telegraph operators and produced auroras visible near the equator. With modern infrastructure increasingly vulnerable, understanding space weather is critical. SMILE is expected to begin collecting data within an hour of orbit insertion and will operate for at least three years, potentially longer if successful. The launch was delayed from April 9 due to a technical issue.