SMESE: A SMall Explorer for Solar Eruptions

The status of research on flares and coronal mass ejections is briefly reviewed in the context of on-going missions such as SOHO, TRACE and RHESSI. The scientific objectives and the profile of the mission are described. With a launch around 2012-2013, SMESE will provide a unique tool for detecting and understanding eruptions (flares and coronal mass ejections) close to the maximum phase of activity.