Avio Delays SMILE Launch After Component Production Issue Identified
Avio has delayed the ESA SMILE mission launch aboard a Vega C rocket due to a production issue with a subsystem component. Preparations for the SMILE launch commenced in mid-February, including the transfer of the P120C first stage. The specific timeline for the rescheduled launch remains undetermined as Avio addresses the identified issue.
How to follow the Smile launch live
*ESA* will broadcast the *Smile* mission launch on 9 April 2026 at 07:29 BST, utilizing the *Vega-C* rocket from Europe’s Spaceport in French Guiana. The launch was postponed due to a technical issue on a subsystem component production line after VV29 integration, with a new date to be confirmed later. Times may change unexpectedly.
Smile: A global answer to a global mystery
European Space Agency and Chinese Academy of Sciences collaborate on the SMILE mission to investigate solar wind interactions with Earth's magnetic field. Utilizing four onboard instruments, SMILE aims to capture unprecedented imagery of this phenomenon, enhancing our understanding of space weather and its implications for life on Earth. This initiative marks a significant advancement in space weather forecasting.
T-20 days: Smile to launch on 9 April
Smile is set to launch on a Vega-C rocket from Europe’s Spaceport in French Guiana on 9 April at 08:29 CEST. This mission, a collaboration between ESA and the Chinese Academy of Sciences, aims to study Earth's response to solar particles using X-ray and ultraviolet cameras. Smile will achieve a final orbit 121,000 km above the North Pole.