The Double Star mission -- which involves two spacecraft -- is the first joint project between China and the European Space Agency.

The first spacecraft blasted off early on Tuesday aboard a Chinese Long March 2C/SM rocket from a base in the town of Xichang in southwest China.

The second will be launched in about six months' time.

The spacecraft will study how the magnetized and charged particles streaming off the Sun affect Earth.

In extreme cases, this ejected material can interfere with communications and power lines, and even damage electronic components on orbiting satellites