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13/03/2026
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The UK-backed Smile spacecraft, set to study interactions between the solar wind and Earth’s magnetosphere, has arrived at Europe’s Spaceport in French Guiana.
A series of final preparations now separate the satellite from its launch, expected to take place between 8 April and 7 May.
Smile arrives at Europe’s Spaceport
Smile – a joint European-Chinese mission developed with strong contributions from British academia and industry – reached French Guiana on 26 February, following a two-week transatlantic journey that began at ESA’s technical heart (ESTEC) in the Netherlands.
Smile will investigate the region surrounding Earth known as the magnetosphere, which acts as a protective shield against solar wind and radiation. Using a suite of sensors, the spacecraft will reveal how the magnetosphere reacts to charged particles and radiation from the Sun. In doing so, it is expected to support efforts to protect critical infrastructure – both in space and on Earth – from the impacts of space weather.
The UK is heavily involved in Smile’s overall mission science, with the University of Leicester leading the consortium responsible for the spacecraft’s soft X-ray imager (SXI) in collaboration with University College London’s Mullard Space Science Laboratory, the Open University and European partners. SXI is one of four science instruments carried by Smile.
In addition, two UK-based companies – Teledyne e2v and Photek Ltd – made vital hardware contributions to the mission.
You can read the full story on Smile’s arrival at Europe’s Spaceport on the Space Science pages of esa.int.
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