A view of Vega-C inside its mobile hangar on the launch pad at Europe’s Spaceport in French Guiana, this rocket will carry Smile to space on flight VV29.
Smile is due to launch on 19 May 2026. Preparations are taking place on the launch pad, with the rocket built up stage-by-stage inside a mobile building. About four hours before launch, the building will roll away to reveal the complete rocket inside.
Vega-C is made up of four stages, with the fairing (a nose cone that splits into two) sitting on top of the fourth stage. The fairing will protect Smile during its ascent to space through Earth’s atmosphere. Almost five minutes after liftoff, the fairing will split open, revealing Smile inside. At that point, Smile will still be attached to the third and fourth stages of the Vega-C.
Find out more about Smile’s journey from launch to orbit.
Find out more about the Vega launch site.
Smile (the Solar wind Magnetosphere Ionosphere Link Explorer) is a joint mission between the European Space Agency and the Chinese Academy of Sciences.
The Vega-C programme is led by ESA, working with Avio as prime contractor and design authority. It ensures that Europe has versatile and independent access to space.
[Image description: A photo showing a rocket launch inside a building with stairwells visible on either side, platforms at various heights give people access to different parts of the rocket. The photo shows the upper three stages and the fairing where the Smile mission is inside, a white cylinder with a blue stripe running down it.]