Mission
Astrophysics · Elliptical
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.
What it put in orbit
| Object | Type | Orbit | Globe |
|---|---|---|---|
| SMILE 2026-109A | Payload | 6775 × 119215 km · 70.0° | Globe |
COSPAR ID 2026-109 (data from GCAT, J. McDowell, CC BY 4.0). Orbits from the CelesTrak satellite catalogue (perigee × apogee, inclination).
Where to watch
Replay Launch webcastIn the news
- APOD: 2026 October 6 – A Complete Auroral Oval from SMILE NASA,
- ESA, CAS release first images from SMILE; officially begin science operations NASASpaceflight,
Headlines via the Spaceflight News API.