Photek Supports Landmark SMILE Space Mission as Spacecraft Heads to Launch Site

16th Mar, 2026

Following the latest update from the UK Space Agency, the SMILE mission (Solar wind Magnetosphere Ionosphere Link Explorer) has begun its journey across the Atlantic to the Guiana Space Centre in preparation for launch.

A joint mission between the European Space Agency (ESA) and the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), SMILE aims to deepen our understanding of how solar wind interacts with Earth’s magnetic environment — a key step in advancing space weather science.

Photek is proud to have contributed to this landmark mission. Our MCP118 Image Intensifier has been integrated into the SMILE-UVI flight ultraviolet telescope, designed and built by the Chinese Academy of Sciences.

With the spacecraft now en route to the launch site, we look forward to the launch window opening this April.