📋 Tender Overview
At 11:52 on May 19, 2026, Beijing time, the Solar wind Magnetosphere Ionosphere Link Explorer, SMILE (hereinafter referred to as the Smile satellite), a scientific satellite jointly developed by China and Europe, was launched aboard a Vega-C carrier rocket from the Kourou Space Center in French Guiana. The satellite successfully entered the predetermined orbit, and the launch mission was a complete success. This is Chinas first mission-level, all-round and in-depth cooperation space science exploration mission with the European Space Agency, which is an important scientific and engineering milestone.
Schematic diagram of the Smile satellites in-orbit operation (Image source: ESA)
The Smile satellite pioneered the use of soft X-ray imaging technology, which will realize the overall imaging of the large-scale structure of the Earths magnetosphere for the first time, providing innovative observation methods to reveal the mystery of the interaction between the solar wind and the Earths magnetosphere. An in-depth understanding of the solar wind-magnetosphere coupling mechanism is the scientific basis for revealing the causes of space weather and improving space environment forecasting capabilities. In order to achieve scientific goals, the Smile satellite is equipped with four payloads: a magnetometer, a low-energy ion analyzer, an ultraviolet auroral imager and a soft X-ray imager. The mission is expected to achieve a series of original and major scientific breakthroughs in areas such as space weather forecasting and basic understanding of magnetospheric physics.
Under the guidance of the cooperation between the China National Space Administration and the European Space Agency, and in accordance with the China-EU Space Cooperation Outline 2026-2030, the Chinese Academy of Sciences is fully responsible for the overall management of the Smile satellite system, the development of satellite platforms, as well as the transformation and construction of measurement and control services, ground support systems and scientific application systems. It is also responsible for the development of three types of payloads: magnetometers, low-energy ion analyzers, and ultraviolet auroral imagers. The European side is responsible for the development of the payload bay and soft X-ray imager, the construction of the European scientific application system, and provides support for the launch vehicle, launch site, data reception and active segment measurement and control. During the implementation of the mission, the Chinese and European teams conducted joint research on key technologies such as cross-regional design, imaging indicators, and system compatibility, forming an efficient and stable collaboration mechanism. In the future, the two parties will continue to deepen cooperation, jointly carry out scientific data processing and analysis research, and maximize the scientific value of the Smile satellite.
The Smile satellite has a design life of 3 years. After the satellite is put into orbit and reaches the scientific observation orbit, it will first carry out a two-month on-orbit test and load calibration to comprehensively verify the working status of the satellite platform, payload and satellite-ground integration system to ensure that various indicators meet the requirements of scientific detection, and then officially enter the stage of regular scientific observation. During the on-orbit operation, Chinese and European scientists will jointly carry out data processing, inversion and scientific analysis, and open and share data resources with global scientific research institutions to promote the formation of an international space scientific research pattern.
The National Space Administration and the European Space Agency have always maintained close ties in the field of international cooperation in space. The successful launch of the Smile satellite is another important result of the two sides deepening pragmatic cooperation under the China-EU space cooperation mechanism. Going forward, the China National Space Administration will continue to work with the international community to extensively deepen practical cooperation in the aerospace field, contribute Chinese wisdom and strength to the peaceful use of space resources, respond to global challenges, and promote the construction of a community with a shared future for mankind.
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