ESA title
Science & Exploration

Smile leaves Europe – Let’s Smile (action snippet)

20/02/2026 154 views 12 likes 518104 ID 00:01:21
English

On 11 February 2026, the Smile spacecraft was loaded into a ship in the Port of Amsterdam, ready for transport across the Atlantic Ocean to Europe’s Spaceport in French Guiana.

Find out more

Smile (the Solar wind Magnetosphere Ionosphere Link Explorer) is a joint mission between the European Space Agency and the Chinese Academy of Sciences. Smile is due to launch on a European Vega-C rocket in spring 2026. Follow the latest mission news via esa.int/smile.

Access the other episodes of ‘Let’s Smile’

  • CREDIT
    ESA/Lightcurve films
  • ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
    Ground camera and video production by Lightcurve Films. Drone camera by The PostBoat Dronedepartment. Music: ‘Intense Rock Trailer’ by OctoSound. Open ocean footage by Benjamin Vanoutryve (ESA).
  • LICENCE
    ESA Standard Licence
  • Closed captions available Captions and subtitles are available (automatically generated by YouTube) - select your language using the YouTube player controls. A non-YouTube version is available using the 'download' button above.
  • Exterior shot
Science & Exploration

Completing the spacecraft – Let’s Smile (episode 2)

Video 00:07:01 1345 views 26 likes
Science & Exploration

Smile's other half arrives | Let’s Smile (action snippet)

Video 00:01:22 2182 views 28 likes
Science & Exploration

Testing, testing, testing – Let’s Smile (episode 3)

Video 00:07:25 2552 views 36 likes
Science & Exploration

Good to go – Let's Smile (episode 4)

Video 00:07:13 1291 views 19 likes
Science & Exploration

Introducing the Smile mission – Let’s Smile (episode 1)

Video 00:06:45 3863 views 81 likes