Editing Advanced Composition Explorer (section)

== History ==
[[File:Scientists holding the solar panels of the Advanced Composition Explorer space probe.jpg|thumb|ACE during assembly]]

The Advanced Composition Explorer (ACE) was proposed in 1986 as part of the Explorer Concept Study Program. ACE is designed to make coordinated measurements of the elemental and isotopic composition of accelerated nuclei from H ([[Hydrogen]]) to Zn ([[Zinc]]) spanning six decades in energy per [[nucleon]], from solar wind to galactic cosmic ray energies, with sensitivity and with charge and mass resolution much better than heretofore possible. Following a Phase-A definition study, ACE was selected for development in 1989, and began construction in 1994. On 25 August 1997, ACE was successfully launched from [[Cape Canaveral Air Force Station]] by a [[Delta II]] [[launch vehicle]]. The August 1997 launch was originally scheduled back in 1993.<ref name="History">{{cite web |url=http://www.srl.caltech.edu/ACE/ace-mission-ssr-paper.pdf |title=The Advanced Composition Explorer |website=srl.caltech.edu |date=1998 |access-date=28 October 2021}}</ref>