ESA and Chinese Academy of Sciences Launch Joint SMILE Mission (xataka.com)

• Launch on May 19, 2026 at 03:52 UTC from Kourou
• 25-day orbit raising phase with 11 burns
• First global X-ray and UV images of solar wind-magnetosphere interaction
• Nominal 3-year mission, possible extension

"The SMILE mission (Solar wind Magnetosphere Ionosphere Link Explorer) successfully launched from Kourou, French Guiana, on May 19, 2026 at 03:52 UTC. It will study the interaction between solar wind and Earth's magnetosphere. The spacecraft will perform 11 engine burns over 25 days to reach a polar orbit of 121,000 km altitude at apogee. First global X-ray and UV images are expected three months later. The nominal mission is three years, with possible extension."