Success
VV29Solar wind Magnetosphere Ionosphere Link Explorer (SMILE)
Astrophysics
Avio S.p.A(Avio)Commercial
Vega-C
Ellipticalorbit
Joint mission between the European Space Agency and the Chinese Academy of Sciences to investigate the interaction between Earth’s protective shield – the magnetosphere – and the supersonic solar wind.
Tuesday, May 19, 2026 at 3:52 AM
Replay
Flight Timeline
- T+00:00Liftoff
- T+02:25Stage 2 Separation
- T+02:26SES
- T+04:30Stage 3 Separation
- T+04:37Stage 3 Ignition
- T+04:42Fairing Separation
- T+07:14Kick Stage Separation
- T+20:23Kick Stage Ignition
- T+24:32Kick Stage Cut-off
- T+52:57Kick Stage Burn
- T+54:52Kick Stage Cut-off
- T+56:24Payload Separation
- T+2:00:37Kick Stage Ignition
- T+2:01:44Kick Stage Cut-off
Links
Mission details
Orbital Attempt
#7,287
Avio Mission
#1
Pad Launch
#55
Location Launch
#333
Designator
2026-109
Launch Window
NET
May 19, 2026, 3:52 AM
Precision
Second
Schedule Changes
6 updates
Schedule Updates
6 entries- Current scheduleCurrentNo NET changeMay 19, 2026, 4:54 AMMay 19, 2026, 3:52 AM(Second)Success
- Schedule updatedNo NET changeMay 19, 2026, 4:50 AMMay 19, 2026, 3:52 AM(Second)Deployed
- Schedule updatedNo NET changeMay 19, 2026, 3:54 AMMay 19, 2026, 3:52 AM(Second)In Flight
- Schedule updatedNo NET changeMay 19, 2026, 3:34 AMMay 19, 2026, 3:52 AM(Second)Go
- Schedule updatedDelayed 19d 3hApr 23, 2026, 5:54 PMMay 19, 2026, 3:52 AM(Minute)GoWindow: 3:52 AM – 3:52 AM
- Initial scheduleApr 17, 2026, 4:17 AMApr 30, 2026, 12:00 AM(Month)TBD
Vega-C Specs
Vega-C is a single-body rocket nearly 35 m high with that weighs 210 tonnes on the launch pad. As with Vega, its main elements are three solid-propellant stages, an upper stage powered by a reignitable liquid-propellant engine and a payload fairing. Vega-C's P120C first stage replaces Vega’s smaller P80 to provide a significant increase in thrust at liftoff. It is also used as boosters (2 or 4) for the Ariane 6 rocket.
Length
34.8 m
Diameter
3 m
Launch Mass
210 t
Thrust
2,974 kN
LEO Capacity
3,300 kg
SSO Capacity
2,230 kg
Launch Cost
$48M
Reusable
No
Maiden Flight
2022
Fastest Turnaround
2mo 27d
Total Launches
7
Successful
6
Failed
1
Consecutive Success
5
Maiden flight: Jul 13, 2022
Social Flight Log
- May 19, 2026, 4:52 AM
Launch success with spacecraft acquisition & solar panels deployment.
Source - May 19, 2026, 4:49 AM
Spacecraft separation.
Source - May 19, 2026, 3:52 AM
Liftoff.
Source - May 19, 2026, 3:33 AM
Tweaked T-0.
Source - May 19, 2026, 3:29 AM
Official Webcast by European Space Agency, ESA has started
Source - Apr 23, 2026, 5:52 PM
Rescheduled for May 19.
Source - Apr 6, 2026, 8:36 AM
Launch delayed due to a technical issue on a subsystem component production line. New launch date TBA.
Source - Mar 20, 2026, 10:04 AM
Targeting April 9 at 06:29 UTC
Source - Oct 24, 2025, 4:27 PM
NET April 8.
Source - Feb 7, 2025, 10:10 PM
Targeting early 2026
Source - May 1, 2024, 3:42 AM
NET late 2025.
Source - Feb 23, 2023, 5:01 PM
Adding launch NET April 2025
Source
Ariane Launch Area 1 (ELV)
ELA-1, now named Ensemble de Lancement Vega (short ELV), is a launch pad at the Centre Spatial Guyanais in French Guiana. It has been used to support launches of the Europa rocket, Ariane 1, Ariane 3, and is currently used to launch Vega rockets.
Total Launches
55
Orbital Attempts
55
Fastest Turnaround
1mo 25d
Avio S.p.A
Avio S.p.A. is an Italian company operating in the aerospace sector with its head office in Colleferro near Rome, Italy. Founded in 1908, it is present in Italy and abroad with different commercial offices and 10 production sites.
Founded
1908
Administrator
CEO: Giulio Ranzo
Total Launches
1
Successful
1
Failed
0
Pending
24
Consecutive Success
1
Guiana Space Centre, French Guiana
The Guiana Space Centre is a European spaceport to the northwest of Kourou in French Guiana, a region of France in South America. Kourou is located at a latitude of 5°. In operation since 1968, it is a suitable location for a spaceport because of its equatorial location and open sea to the east.
Timezone
America/Cayenne
Local Launch Time
May 19, 2026, 12:52 AM
Total Launches
333
Total Landings
0
Coordinates
5.1690, -52.6903