The Smile mission, a collaboration between the European Space Agency and the Chinese Academy of Sciences, has started gathering data on how Earth interacts with the solar wind. Launched on 19 May, the spacecraft entered its science orbit on 20 June and completed a two‑month commissioning phase that included deploying antennas, activating onboard systems and verifying communications.

Professor Carole Mundell, ESA Director of Science, said the mission’s approval to begin operations marks a milestone for the partnership. "Smile will deliver data that improves understanding of space weather and its effects on technology on Earth," she added.

Four instruments on board are collecting measurements. The soft X‑ray imager (SXI) and ultraviolet aurora imager (UVI) are designed to capture solar and geomagnetic activity, while the magnetometer (MAG) and light ion analyser (LIA) monitor magnetic fields and charged particles. UVI has already recorded continuous ultraviolet images of the auroral ring for up to 45 hours, providing the first such footage since 2008. The observations, taken on 24 July, revealed disturbances in Earth’s magnetic field caused by a surge of solar wind particles.

SXI, the European contribution to the payload, has also returned its first images, which show the aftermath of a distant supernova. Initial data indicated stray light interference when the camera faced Earth; software adjustments and operational settings are being refined to reduce this effect. The issue is expected to diminish naturally as the spacecraft’s orientation shifts and solar illumination wanes, with minimal stray light anticipated by mid‑October.

A short documentary titled "Let’s Smile" chronicles the mission’s development from component integration at ESA’s technical centre in the Netherlands to final pre‑launch testing at the Guiana Space Centre. The film includes interviews with engineers and scientists involved in the project and complements earlier episodes released in the series.

Smile is part of ESA’s Cosmic Vision programme, aiming to answer fundamental questions about the workings of the Solar System. Further information is available on the ESA website.