From Lab to Orbit: Tibidabo Scientific Industries Enabling SMILE Mission
18th May, 2026
On May 19, 2026, the SMILE (Solar Wind Magnetosphere Ionosphere Link Explorer) mission is scheduled to lift off. This historic international collaboration between the European Space Agency and the Chinese Academy of Sciences aims to tackle one of the great mysteries of space weather: how the Sun interacts with Earth’s magnetic environment.
As part of the Tibidabo Scientific Industries group, both Photek and XCAM Scientific have contributed critical technology to the mission.
The Mission
SMILE will use four science instruments to study how Earth responds to the solar wind from the Sun. This will improve our understanding of solar storms, geomagnetic storms and the science of space weather.
Photek: Enabling Ultraviolet Vision in Orbit
Photek’s MCP118 image intensifier is integrated into the SMILE-UVI instrument on the SMILE mission. The UVI instrument offers an opportunity to capture images of the Earth from space in the Far-UV, with the exciting opportunity of new discoveries regarding Earth’s magnetic field.
XCAM Scientific: Supporting SMILE
XCAM Scientific played a vital role in supporting the SMILE mission through the design and manufacture of advanced characterisation electronics for the imager detectors. Used extensively during ground-based testing and calibration, these systems enabled teams to rigorously assess detector performance under demanding conditions, including radiation testing campaigns. This ensured the detectors were finely tuned and fully prepared for their journey into space.
