Published online by Cambridge University Press: 12 April 2016
Detection of intrinsic solar variability on the total flux level was made using results from the first Active Radiometer Irradiance Monitor (ACRIM) experiment, launched on the Solar Maximum Mission (SMM) in early 1980. ACRIM I, specifically designed to start the high precision total solar irradiance database as part of the U.S. Climate Research Program, produced high precision results throughout the 9.75 years of the Solar Maximum Mission. The second ACRIM experiment was flown aboard the Space Shuttle as part of the NASA/ESA Spacelab 1 Mission in late 1983. Its primary function has been to provide a comparison with ACRIM I that could be used to relate its observations with future satellite solar monitors, should they and ACRIM I fail to overlap in time. The second ACRIM satellite solar monitoring experiment (ACRIM II) has provided high precision total solar irradiance observations since its launch as part of the Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite (UARS) mission in late 1991 and continues at present. The shuttle ACRIM instrumentation has been flown on the ATLAS 1 and 2 missions in 1992 and 1993, providing comparisons with the UARS/ACRIM II.