Science and exploration missions
ESA's 2026 to 2027 science lineup: SMILE (with China) studies how the solar wind hits Earth's magnetic field; PLATO hunts for Earth-like planets.
Timeline
SMILE launches on Vega-CAMay 2026
Ministerial council in ItalyBDec 2026
PLATO launches on Ariane 6CMar 2027
A May 2026 SMILE launches on Vega-C
B Dec 2026 Ministerial council in ItalyIN PROGRESS
C Mar 2027 PLATO launches on Ariane 6