China News Service, Beijing, September 30 (Reporter Sun Zifa) The reporter learned from the Chinese Academy of Sciences on September 30 that the Solar Wind-Magnetosphere Interaction Panoramic Imaging Satellite (English abbreviation SMILE, Chinese nickname "Smile" satellite) jointly developed by China and Europe has successfully passed the on-orbit test summary review and entered the scientific operation stage. On the same day, China and the EU simultaneously released the first batch of on-orbit observation images and detection data from the four scientific payloads of the "Smile" satellite.
China-EU space science cooperation enters new stage
The "Smile" satellite was successfully launched from the Kourou Space Center in French Guiana in May 2026. After about a month of orbit change operations, it reached a scientific observation orbit of 5,120 kilometers perigee and 120,900 kilometers apogee. After the satellite arrived at the predetermined orbit, the payload bay and scientific payload were turned on one after another. The equipment worked normally. The scientific load completed on-orbit debugging and on-orbit calibration, and obtained effective scientific data, which was in line with expectations.
The on-orbit test results of the "Smile" satellite show that all mission units of the entire satellite are operating normally, and all functional performances have been verified. The Chinese Academy of Sciences team has independently completed all operations of the satellite load bay, laying a solid foundation for the first overall imaging observation of the interaction between the solar wind and the Earth's magnetosphere, and dynamically revealing the solar wind-magnetosphere coupling process. The four scientific payloads are in good overall working condition.
The first batch of on-orbit observation images and detection data of the "Smile" satellite include: the ultraviolet auroral imager, which is the first in the world to obtain uninterrupted auroral panoramic and fine structure images of the northern hemisphere; the soft X-ray imager, the world's first space-borne soft
The successful operation of the "Smile" satellite marks a new stage of China-EU space science cooperation and will make an important contribution to mankind's understanding of solar wind-magnetosphere interaction and improvement of space weather forecasting capabilities.
Form a cooperative mechanism of equality, mutual benefit and complementary advantages
The "Smile" satellite was jointly developed by the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the European Space Agency. It is the final work of the Chinese Academy of Sciences' Space Science Strategic Leading Science and Technology Project (Phase II). It is also another large-scale international space science exploration cooperation project jointly carried out by China and Europe after the "Double Star Project" in 2003. It is also a new milestone for Chinese and European scientists to carry out all-round and in-depth cooperation at the mission level.
The satellite will use the most advanced imaging technology to provide simultaneous observations of the magnetopause, polar tip region and auroral eggs, and combine it with space-based and ground-based in-situ detection results of the solar wind and magnetosphere to provide the first panoramic imaging observation of the solar wind-magnetosphere interaction that affects the entire space weather chain.
The "Smile" satellite mission aims to bring new observational perspectives to space physics research and have a direct role in predicting and mitigating space weather disasters. China and the EU have formed a cooperation mechanism of equality, mutual benefit and complementary advantages in three major aspects: division of tasks, payload development and engineering coordination.
Among them, the National Space Science Center of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the European Space Agency are jointly responsible for the overall work of the project; the satellite consists of a payload bay and a satellite platform. The Chinese side is responsible for the satellite platform, developed by the Microsatellite Innovation Institute of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, and the European side is responsible for the load bay, developed by European Airbus.
The "Smile" satellite is equipped with a total of four payloads, including a soft
The European side is responsible for the launch vehicle and launch. The Vega-C launch vehicle was developed by the Italian Avio company. It is also the first time that China has launched a satellite from the Kourou Space Center in French Guiana. The European side is responsible for the measurement and control of the satellite and rocket before separation, and the Chinese side is responsible for the measurement and control after separation.
The scientific data reception is mainly based on the European O'Higgins Station and is transmitted to the ground support system through the European Control Center. The Chinese Sanya Station is a backup receiving station and is developed by the Aerospace Information Innovation Institute of the Chinese Academy of Sciences. The ground support system and scientific application system are in charge of the National Space Science Center of the Chinese Academy of Sciences.
