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New Spacecraft Captures Burst of Northern Lights Around North Pole
The European-Chinese mission will study how solar wind and magnetic fields drive auroras and space weather, with UVI recording 45-hour stretches.
- On September 23, the European-Chinese Smile mission was declared ready to commence science operations, marking a joint effort between the European Space Agency and the Chinese Academy of Sciences.
- Launched on a Vega-C rocket from French Guiana on May 19, the spacecraft spent months undergoing in-space commissioning, where European and Chinese teams deployed mechanisms and tested communications.
- Utilizing its ultraviolet imager, Smile is recording auroras for 45 hours at a time, recently releasing first images of an auroral substorm showcasing the full ring of northern lights around the North Pole.
- "The Smile mission is a testament to the trust built between our teams," said Professor Carole Mundell, ESA Director, as the mission aims to improve scientific understanding of solar storms and space weather.
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China-Europe SMILE mission begins operations with first aurora images
The Solar wind Magnetosphere Ionosphere Link Explorer (SMILE), a joint China-Europe satellite mission, has passed its in-orbit test review and entered the scientific operation phase, according to the National Space Science Center under the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS).
·Beijing, China
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The magnetosphere research satellite, developed jointly by the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) and the European Space Agency (ESA) to observe the interaction of solar winds with Earth's magnetic field, has reportedly sent back its first images.
·Istanbul, Türkiye
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Unpublished images of the SMILE satellite show the phenomenon shining over the North Pole during solar substorm
·São Paulo, Brazil
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Total News Sources35
Leaning Left7Leaning Right6Center14Last UpdatedBias Distribution52% Center
Bias Distribution
- 52% of the sources are Center
52% Center
L 26%
C 52%
R 22%
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