The Sino-European joint project „SMILE satellite“ has completed final preparations at the spaceport, launch is scheduled for April 9

According to a March 26 report by the Chinese Academy of Sciences, in March 2026 the Solar Wind Magnetospheric Interaction Panoramic Imaging Satellite (SMILE), jointly developed by the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the European Space Agency (ESA), completed all preparations before launch at the Kourou Space Centre in French Guiana.

It has now been attached to the Vega-C launch vehicle adapter, with launch scheduled for April 9 (9 April afternoon Beijing time). The mission is entering the final countdown phase before launch.

CMG