ESA and Arianespace sign agreement to launch Smile mission

A contract signed on 30 April 2024 between ESA and Arianespace ensures a ride into orbit for the Smile mission on a Vega-C rocket.

Smile is a collaboration between ESA and the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS). Standing for ‘Solar wind Magnetosphere Ionosphere Link Explorer’, its goal is to provide a more complete understanding of the interaction between the Sun and Earth. The launch is a major European contribution to the mission.

A Vega-C will launch Smile from Europe’s Spaceport in French Guiana, with the launch date currently expected for late 2025. Vega-C is Europe’s nimble rocket designed to launch a wide range of missions. It can send up cargo of a mix of shapes and sizes, enhancing Europe’s independent access to space.

The contract was signed by Carole Mundell (ESA Director of Science), Toni Tolker-Nielsen (ESA acting Director of Space Transportation) and Stéphane Israël (Arianespace Chief Executive Officer). In this photo (from left to right): Toni Tolker-Nielsen, Stéphane Israël and Carole Mundell.

Find out more about Smile

Find out more about Vega-C