Let’s Smile (the full story)

In just two years, the European-Chinese Smile mission went from a handful of disconnected pieces to a fully operating satellite in space. This video covers the period June 2024 to May 2026, featuring behind-the-scenes footage of the different parts of Smile arriving at ESA’s technical centre in the Netherlands, being attached together, tested and finally sent to Europe’s Spaceport in French Guiana for launch. Featuring exclusive interviews with scientists and engineers from across Europe, it is the final instalment in the documentary series ‘Let’s Smile’, bringing together and supplementing the four shorter episodes released so far. Access the other episodes of ‘Let’s Smile’: Smile (the Solar wind Magnetosphere Ionosphere Link Explorer) is a 50–50 collaboration between the European Space Agency (ESA) and the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS). Credits: ESA/Lightcurve Films Acknowledgements: Direction, main camera, sound, editing, post-production by Lightcurve Films. Original music by William Zeitler. Drone footage is by The Postboat Dronedepartment. Access the video on the ESA video library: Source: