
ESA-China SMILE Mission Nears Launch to Watch the Solar Wind Hit Earth’s Magnetic Shield
After a decade of preparation, the joint ESA-China SMILE mission is set to launch on May 19, 2026 to study how solar activity interacts with Earth’s protective magnetic environment.
- The ESA-China SMILE mission is scheduled to launch on May 19, 2026.
- It will study how solar wind and solar storms interact with Earth’s magnetosphere.

