Science & Exploration 23/04/2026 1809 views 25 likes

The European-Chinese Smile mission is due to launch on Tuesday 19 May 2026, at 05:52 CEST / 04:52 BST / 00:52 local time on a European Vega-C rocket.

The initial launch date was postponed as a precautionary measure, after a technical issue was identified on the production line of a Vega-C subsystem component. Both Smile and the Vega-C that will take it to space remain stable and safe.

Following the completion of careful investigations into the issue, all partners have agreed on 19 May as the new launch date.

Smile is a collaboration between the European Space Agency (ESA) and the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS).…