ESA

SMILE Satellite Launch Marks First China-ESA Mission-Level Cooperation The SMILE (Solar wind Magnetosphere Ionosphere Link Explorer) satellite has successfully launched, marking the first mission-level space cooperation between China and the European Space Agency. Mission Highlights: This is the first mission-level space collaboration between China and ESA, a significant milestone SMILE will provide the first global imaging of Earth’s magnetopause and magnetotail, helping scientists understand how Earth defends against solar storms Launched aboard a European Vega C rocket Scientific Significance: ...

The European Space Agency’s PLATO space telescope has successfully completed critical thermal vacuum testing, paving the way for its planned 2027 launch to search for Earth-like exoplanets.