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Additional Media

Vega C | Flight VV29 | SMILE | Avio

On 19 May 2026 at 00:52 a.m. local time (03:52 UTC, 05:52 CEST), Avio will launch the European Space Agency’s (ESA) and Chinese Academy of Science (CAS) Solar wind Magnetosphere Ionosphere Link Explorer (Smile) scientific satellite. The mission, designated “VV29”, will be carried out by a Vega-C launcher, the first …

Vega C | Vol VV29 | SMILE | Avio

Le 19 mai 2026 à 0 h 52, heure locale (03 h 52 UTC, 05 h 52 CEST), Avio procédera au lancement du satellite scientifique Solar Wind Magnetosphere Ionosphere Link Explorer (SMILE), mission conjointe de l’ESA et de la CAS. Le vol, désigné « VV29 », sera réalisé par un …

Vega C | Volo VV29 | SMILE | Avio

Il 19 maggio 2026 alle 00:52 ora locale (03:52 UTC, 05:52 CEST), Avio lancerà il satellite scientifico Solar wind Magnetosphere Ionosphere Link Explorer (Smile) dell’ESA e la CAS. Il volo, denominato “VV29” sarà effettuato da un lanciatore Vega-C, per la prima volta operato da Avio, che decollerà dal Centro Spaziale …

Launch Kit VV29

Launch Kit VV29

Solar wind Magnetosphere Ionosphere Link Explorer (SMILE)

Circle Image

Overview

Destination: Elliptical Orbit
Mission: Astrophysics

Elliptical Orbit Ariane Launch Area 1 (ELV) Guiana Space Centre, French Guiana VV29

Joint mission between the European Space Agency and the Chinese Academy of Sciences to investigate the interaction between Earth’s protective shield – the magnetosphere – and the supersonic solar wind.

Updates

Cosmic_Penguin • May 19, 2026, 4:52 a.m.

Launch success with spacecraft acquisition & solar panels deployment.


Cosmic_Penguin • May 19, 2026, 4:49 a.m.

Spacecraft separation.


Cosmic_Penguin • May 19, 2026, 3:52 a.m.

Liftoff.


Cosmic_Penguin • May 19, 2026, 3:33 a.m.

Tweaked T-0.


LL2 • May 19, 2026, 3:29 a.m.

Official Webcast by European Space Agency, ESA has started


Vega-C

Family:
Configuration:

Vega-C is a single-body rocket nearly 35 m high with that weighs 210 tonnes on the launch pad. As with Vega, its main elements are three solid-propellant stages, an upper stage powered by a reignitable liquid-propellant engine and a payload fairing. Vega-C's P120C first stage replaces Vega’s smaller P80 to provide a significant increase in thrust at liftoff. It is also used as boosters (2 or 4) for the Ariane 6 rocket.

See Details
Specifications
  • Stages
    4
  • Length
    34.8 m
  • Diameter
    3.0 m
  • Fairing Diameter
    3.3 m
  • Launch Mass
    210.0 T
  • Thrust
    2974.0 kN
Family
  • Name
    Vega-C
  • Family
  • Variant
  • Alias
  • Full Name
    Vega-C
Payload Capacity
  • Launch Cost
    $48000000
  • Low Earth Orbit
    3300.0 kg
  • Geostationary Transfer Orbit
  • Direct Geostationary
  • Sun-Synchronous Capacity
    2230.0 kg

Avio S.p.A

Avio S.p.A

(Avio)

CEO: Giulio Ranzo Founded: 1908 Successes: 2 Failures: 0 Pending: 23

Agency Type:

Avio S.p.A. is an Italian company operating in the aerospace sector with its head office in Colleferro near Rome, Italy. Founded in 1908, it is present in Italy and abroad with different commercial offices and 10 production sites.

INFO WIKI
ESA

Smile reaches science orbit

From the ESA Blogs.

SpaceNews

After cooperation on SMILE mission, ESA and China chart parallel but separate paths

ESA and China recently launched the joint SMILE magnetosphere mission after a decade of cooperation, but despite similar goals, another collaboration appears distant. The post After cooperation on SMILE mission, ESA and China chart parall…

ESA

Smile: cleanroom to space

Smile successfully launched from Europe’s Spaceport in French Guiana on 19 May 2026.

SpaceNews

ESA-China SMILE mission lifts off to deliver first global images of Earth’s magnetosphere

The SMILE mission developed jointly by the European Space Agency and China has reached orbit after more than a decade of preparations and cooperation. The post ESA-China SMILE mission lifts off to deliver first global images of Earth’s ma…

NASASpaceflight

Launch Preview: Falcon 9, Electron, and Vega C launch missions alongside Starship Flight 12

Six launches are scheduled worldwide during the next week, with the 12th flight of SpaceX’s… The post Launch Preview: Falcon 9, Electron, and Vega C launch missions alongside Starship Flight 12 appeared first on NASASpaceFlight.com.

Guiana Space Centre, French Guiana

Ariane Launch Area 1 (ELV)


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