The European Space Agency and the Chinese Academy of Sciences are joining hands to uncover how Earth defends itself against dangerous particles and radiation from the Sun.

It’s the first time we will have images and videos of what happens when this solar wind crashes into our magnetic field. Smile will witness this interaction in action, using four onboard instruments to watch the drama unfold.

Life can only exist as we know it when nestled safe inside this giant magnetic bubble surrounding our planet. By imaging the bubble as a whole for the first time, Smile will help us

ESA will be broadcasting live as the European-Chinese Smile mission launches at 07:29 BST/08:29 CEST (03:29 local time) on 9 April 2026.

Smile will launch on a European Vega-C rocket from Europe’s Spaceport in French Guiana.

Times subject to change at short notice.

GP Sandhoo: ‘From an optical communications terminal perspective, we’re not there yet on how many we need’

The ‘unpriced change order’ supports satellite launches while officials reassess long-delayed ground system

The post Pentagon awards Raytheon $45 million for GPS ground system as program future is reassessed appeared first on SpaceNews.

East Aurora, NY — Moog Inc.

In this week’s episode of Space Minds, host Mike Gruss interviews Carmel Ortiz, senior vice president of medium-Earth-orbit constellation programs at SES.

SAN FRANCISCO – Los Angeles startup Fortastra has hired veterans from Relativity Space, Hermeus, Astrion and Divergent Technologies to design and operate maneuverable spacecraft for on-orbit security.