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Preparing Smile for space
Video: 00:04:42 Before Smile can begin studying how Earth responds to the streams of particles and bursts of radiation from the Sun, the spacecraft had to complete an extraordinary journey here on Earth. Follow the mission through its final launch preparations at Europe’s Spaceport in French Guiana, from fuelling and encapsulation inside its protective fairing, to meeting the rest of the Vega-C rocket that will take it to space. Smile is flying to space on Vega-C flight VV29. At 35 m tall, Vega-C weighs 210 tonnes on the launch pad and the rocket will take Smile to orbit with three solid-prope
Week in images: 11-15 May 2026
Week in images: 11-15 May 2026 Discover our week through the lens
Earth from Space: Quito’s volcanic landscape
Image: This image, captured by Copernicus Sentinel-2, gives us a glimpse of Ecuador’s capital, Quito, sprawling for 40 km along this high-altitude valley in the Andes.
Waterworn chaos on Mars
This month, ESA’s Mars Express takes us to Shalbatana Vallis: a fascinating martian valley surrounded by signs of water, lava, craters and chaos.
How to follow the Smile launch live
ESA will be broadcasting live as the European-Chinese Smile mission launches at 04:52 BST/05:52 CEST (00:52 local time) on 19 May 2026. Smile will launch on a European Vega-C rocket from Europe’s Spaceport in French Guiana. Times subject to change at short notice.
Week in images: 04-08 May 2026
Week in images: 04-08 May 2026 Discover our week through the lens
Earth from Space: Greenland's changing ice
Image: Part of the rugged and deeply indented coast of northeastern Greenland is featured in this radar image captured by Copernicus Sentinel-1.
ESA and JAXA team up on planetary defence, Ramses mission to asteroid Apophis
The European Space Agency (ESA) and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) have signed a Memorandum of Cooperation to deepen collaboration in planetary defence, alongside a dedicated agreement for collaboration on the Rapid Apophis Mission for Space Safety (Ramses) to the near-Earth asteroid Apophis.
