China-Europe SMILE satellite launched to study Earth's magnetosphere

(ECNS) - China and the European Space Agency (ESA) on Tuesday launched the jointly developed SMILE satellite to study interactions between solar wind and Earth's magnetosphere, marking the first full space science mission jointly carried out by the two sides.

The Solar wind Magnetosphere Ionosphere Link Explorer, or SMILE, was launched aboard a Vega-C rocket from the Kourou Space Center in French Guiana and successfully entered its planned orbit.

The satellite is expected to spend about 42 days maneuvering into its scientific observation orbit, followed by two months of in-orbit testing before beginning a planned three-year mission.

The project aims to provide global imaging of the boundary regions of Earth's magnetosphere, helping scientists better understand how solar wind interacts with Earth's magnetic field.

Researchers said the mission could improve understanding of space weather, which can disrupt satellites, communications and power systems.

Under the cooperation arrangement, China was responsible for the satellite platform, ground support systems and several scientific instruments, while the European side provided the payload module, an X-ray imager, launch services and tracking support.

Scientists from both sides will jointly process and analyze mission data, which will be shared with research institutions worldwide.

(By Zhang Jiahao)