Lightcurve Films for ESA

Smile, the film 31.08.2026 44:35 ↓

This film tells the story of the making of the Smile mission, the first 50-50 techno-science collaboration between Europe and China (ESA and the Chinese Academy of Sciences). The story starts visually in 2024, when both the Chinese and European el...

Gaia impression (2013) 12.07.2026 1:57 ↓

A short impression video about the GAIA mission (2013).

Luca Parmitano to the ISS and back (2013) 12.07.2026 2:01 ↓

A short impression video about the mission of Italian ESA astronaut Luca Parmitano to the ISS (2013).

ESA Swarm (2013) 12.07.2026 1:49 ↓

A short impression video about the SWARM mission (2013).

Venus's mysteries what we want to observe and discover with Envision 30.04.2026 1:01:48 ↓

This presentation was given on 6 February 2025 to the engineering team at Thales Alenia Space in Italy, who are designing and building the Envision spacecraft. Planetary scientist Thomas Widemann from the Paris Observatory / Université PSL in ...

Envision promo (2025) 29.04.2026 1:02 ↓

Meet Envision. Europe’s next mission to Venus. Planned for launch in 2031. Envision will study Venus from its core to its upper atmosphere to reveal more about the planet’s history, geological activity, and climate. It will help us understand w...

Good to go – Let's Smile (episode 4) 17.02.2026 7:31 ↓

Smile is a brand-new space mission currently in the making. It will study how Earth responds to the solar wind and solar storms. At the European Space Agency’s technical heart in the Netherlands, engineers have taken Smile through the final ste...

Completing the spacecraft – Let’s Smile (episode 2) 15.02.2026 7:21 ↓

Smile is a brand-new space mission currently in the making. It will study space weather and the interaction between the solar wind and Earth’s magnetic environment. At the European Space Agency’s technical heart in the Netherlands, engineers ha...

Introducing the Smile mission Let's Smile (episode 1) 15.02.2026 6:54 ↓

Smile is the Solar wind Magnetosphere Ionosphere Link Explorer, a brand-new space mission currently in the making. It will study space weather and the interaction between the solar wind and Earth’s environment. Unique about Smile is that it wil...

Testing, testing, testing – Let’s Smile (episode 3) 15.02.2026 7:25 ↓

Smile is a brand-new space mission currently in the making. It will study how Earth responds to the solar wind and solar storms. At the European Space Agency’s technical heart in the Netherlands, engineers have spent the last four months carryi...

Beyond the Red Planck Science 06.09.2025 11:28 ↓

Planck Science is the third of a set of three educational films (see http://www.lightcurvefilms.com/beyond-the-red/) about the new European Space Agency’s science missions Herschel and Planck, recently launched. In Planck Science astrophysicist Vi...

Beyond the Red Short Waves, Long Waves 06.09.2025 7:34 ↓

Short Waves, Long Waves is the first of a set of three educational films about the new European Space Agency's science missions Herschel and Planck, recently launched. In Short Waves, Long Waves Dominique Proust, astrophysicist at the Paris Observ...

Beyond the Red: Herschel Science 06.09.2025 12:16 ↓

Herschel Science is the second of a set of three educational films (see http://www.lightcurvefilms.com/beyond-the-red/) about the new European Space Agency’s science missions Herschel and Planck, recently launched. In Herschel Science astrophysici...