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Astronomy
Strictly speaking, most of
these are "abbreviations" rather than "acronyms";
pedantically, it's only an "acronym" if you make a word
out of it, a la "laser." In practice, though, everybody
calls 'em acronyms.
A&A: Astronomy and
Astrophysics
AAO: Anglo-Australian
Observatory
AAS: American Astronomical
Society
AAS: American Astronautical
Society
AAVSO: American Association of
Variable Star Observers
ACE: Advanced Composition
Explorer
ACRV: Assured Crew Return
Vehicle (or) Astronaut Crew Rescue Vehicle
ADFRF: Ames-Dryden Flight
Research Facility (now DFRC) (NASA)
AGN: Active Galactic
Nucleus
AGU: American Geophysical
Union
AIAA: American Institute of
Aeronautics and Astronautics
AIPS: Astronomical Image
Processing System
AJ: Astronomical
Journal
ALEXIS: Array of Low Energy
X-ray Imaging Sensors
ALPO: Association of Lunar and
Planetary Observers
ALS: Advanced Launch
System
ANSI: American National
Standards Institute
AOA: Abort Once Around (Shuttle
abort plan)
AOA: Angle Of Attack
AOCS: Attitude and Orbit Control
System
Ap.J: Astrophysical
Journal
APL: Applied Physics Laboratory
(at Johns Hopkins)
APM: Attached Pressurized Module
(a.k.a. Columbus)
APU: Auxiliary Power
Unit
ARC: Ames Research Center
(NASA)
ARC: Astrophysical Research
Consortium
ARTEMIS: Advanced Relay
TEchnology MISsion
ASA: Astronomical Society of the
Atlantic
ASI: Agenzia Spaziale
Italiana
ASP: Astronomical Society of the
Pacific
ASRM: Advanced Solid Rocket
Motor
ATDRS: Advanced Tracking and
Data Relay Satellite
ATLAS: Atmospheric Laboratory
for Applications and Science
ATM: Amateur Telescope
Maker
ATM: Apollo Telescope Mount (on
Skylab)
ATO: Abort To Orbit (Shuttle
abort plan)
AU: Astronomical Unit
AURA: Association of
Universities for Research in Astronomy
AW&ST: Aviation Week and
Space Technology (a.k.a. AvLeak)
AXAF: Advanced X-ray
Astrophysics Facility
BAe: British
Aerospace
BATSE: Burst And Transient
Source Experiment (on CGRO)
BBXRT: Broad-Band X-Ray
Telescope (ASTRO package)
BDB: Big Dumb Booster
BEM: Bug-Eyed Monster
BH: Black Hole
BIMA: Berkeley Illinois Maryland
Array
BIS: British Interplanetary
Society
BMDO: Ballistic Missile Defense
Office (was SDIO)
BNSC: British National Space
Centre
BTW: By The Way
CARA: Center for Astrophysical
Research in Antarctica
C&T: Communications &
Tracking
CATS: Cheap Access To
Space
CCAFS: Cape Canaveral Air Force
Station (now CCAS)
CCAS: Cape Canaveral Air
Station
CCD: Charge-Coupled
Device
CCDS: Centers for the Commercial
Development of Space
CD-ROM: Compact Disc Read-Only
Memory
CFA: Center For
Astrophysics
CFC:
ChloroFluoroCarbon
CFF: Columbus Free
Flyer
CFHT: Canada-France-Hawaii
Telescope
CG: Center of Gravity
CGRO: (Arthur Holley) Compton
Gamma Ray Observatory (was GRO)
CHARA: Center for High Angular
Resolution Astronomy
CIRRIS: Cryogenic InfraRed
Radiance Instrument for Shuttle
CIT: Circumstellar Imaging
Telescope
CM: Command Module (Apollo
spacecraft)
CM: Center of Mass
CMBR: Cosmic Microwave
Background Radiation
CMCC: Central Mission Control
Centre (ESA)
CNES: Centre National d'Etude
Spatiales
CNO:
Carbon-Nitrogen-Oxygen
CNSR: Comet Nucleus Sample
Return
COBE: COsmic Background
Explorer
COMPTEL: COMPton TELescope (on
CGRO)
COSTAR: Corrective Optics Space
Telescope Axial Replacement
CRAF: Comet Rendezvous /
Asteroid Flyby
CRRES: Combined Release /
Radiation Effects Satellite
CSM: Command and Service Module
(Apollo spacecraft)
CSTC: Consolidated Space Test
Center (USAF)
CTIO: Cerro Tololo Interamerican
Observatory
CV: Cataclysmic
Variable
CXBR: Cosmic X-ray Background
Radiation
DC: Delta Clipper
DCX: Delta Clipper
eXperimental
DDCU: DC-to-DC Converter
Unit
DDTE: Design, Development, Test,
and Evaluation
DFRC: Dryden Flight Research
Center
DFRF: Dryden Flight Research
Facility (was ADFRF, now DFRC)
DMSP: Defense Meteorological
Satellite Program
DOD: Department Of Defense
(sometimes DoD)
DOE: Department Of
Energy
DOT: Department Of
Transportation
DRS: Data Relay
Satellite
DRS: Direct Receiving
Station
DSCS: Defense Satellite
Communications System
DSN: Deep Space
Network
DSP: Defense Support Program
(USAF/NRO)
EAFB: Edwards Air Force
Base
ECS: Environmental Control
System
EDO: Extended Duration
Orbiter
EGRET: Energetic Gamma Ray
Experiment Telescope (on CGRO)
EJASA: Electronic Journal of the
Astronomical Society of the Atlantic
ELV: Expendable Launch
Vehicle
EMU: Extravehicular Mobility
Unit
EOS: Earth Observing
System
ER: Eastern Range (was
ETR)
ERS: Earth Resources Satellite
(as in ERS-1)
ESA: European Space
Agency
ESIS: European Space Information
System
ESO: European Southern
Observatory
ET: (Shuttle) External
Tank
ETLA: Extended Three Letter
Acronym
ETR: Eastern Test
Range
EUV: Extreme
UltraViolet
EUVE: Extreme UltraViolet
Explorer
EVA: ExtraVehicular
Activity
FAQ: Frequently Asked
Questions
FAST: Fast Auroral SnapshoT
explorer
FFT: Fast Fourier
Transform
FGS: Fine Guidance Sensors (on
HST)
FHST: Fixed Head Star Trackers
(on HST)
FIR: Far InfraRed
FITS: Flexible Image Transport
System
FOC: Faint Object Camera (on
HST)
FOS: Faint Object Spectrograph
(on HST)
FRC: Flight Research Center (old
name for DFRC)
FRR: Flight-Readiness
Review
FTP: File Transfer
Protocol
FTS: Flight Telerobotic
Servicer
FUSE: Far Ultraviolet
Spectroscopic Explorer
FWHM: Full Width at Half
Maximum
FYI: For Your
Information
GAS: Get-Away Special
GBT: Green Bank
Telescope
GCVS: General Catalog of
Variable Stars
GEM: Giotto Extended
Mission
GEM: Galileo Extended (or
Europa) Mission
GEO: Geosynchronous Earth
Orbit
GDS: Great Dark Spot
GHRS: Goddard High Resolution
Spectrograph (on HST)
GIF: Graphics Interchange
Format
GLOMR: Global Low-Orbiting
Message Relay
GLOW: Gross Lift-Off
Weight
GMC: Giant Molecular
Cloud
GMRT: Giant Meter-wave Radio
Telescope
GMT: Greenwich Mean Time (also
called UT)
GOES: Geostationary Orbiting
Environmental Satellite
GOX: Gaseous OXygen
GPC: General Purpose
Computer
GPS: Global Positioning
System
GR: General
Relativity
GRO: Gamma Ray Observatory (now
CGRO)
GRS: Gamma Ray Spectrometer (on
Mars Observer)
GRS: Great Red Spot
GSC: Guide Star Catalog (for
HST)
GSFC: Goddard Space Flight
Center (NASA)
GTO: Geostationary Transfer
Orbit
HAO: High Altitude
Observatory
HD: Henry Draper catalog
entry
HEAO: High Energy Astronomical
Observatory
HeRA: Hermes Robotic
Arm
HF: High Frequency
HGA: High Gain
Antenna
HLC: Heavy Lift
Capability
HLV: Heavy Lift
Vehicle
HMC: Halley Multicolor Camera
(on Giotto)
HOTOL: HOrizontal TakeOff and
Landing (a proposed SSTO craft)
HR: Hertzsprung-Russell
(diagram)
HRMS: High Resolution Microwave
Survey
HRI: High Resolution Imager (on
ROSAT)
HSP: High Speed Photometer (on
HST)
HST: Hubble Space
Telescope
HTHL: Horizontal Takeoff
Horizontal Landing
HTVL: Horizontal Takeoff
Vertical Landing
HUT: Hopkins Ultraviolet
Telescope (ASTRO package)
HV: High Voltage
IAPPP: International
Amateur/Professional Photoelectric
Photometry
IAU: International Astronomical
Union
IAUC: IAU Circular
ICE: International Cometary
Explorer
IDA: International Dark-sky
Association
IDL: Interactive Data
Language
IGM: InterGalactic
Medium
IGY: International Geophysical
Year
IMHO: In My Humble
Opinion
IMO: International Meteor
Organization
IOTA: Infrared-Optical Telescope
Array
IOTA: International Occultation
Timing Association
IPS: Inertial Pointing
System
IR: InfraRed
IRAF: Image Reduction and
Analysis Facility
IRAS: InfraRed Astronomical
Satellite
IRFNA: Inhibited Red Fuming
Nitric Acid
ISAS: Institute of Space and
Astronautical Science (Japan)
ISM: InterStellar
Medium
ISO: Infrared Space
Observatory
ISO: International Standards
Organization
ISPM: International Solar Polar
Mission (now Ulysses)
ISPP: In-Situ Propellant
Production
ISY: International Space
Year
IUE: International Ultraviolet
Explorer
IUS: Inertial Upper
Stage
JEM: Japanese Experiment Module
(for SSF)
JGR: Journal of Geophysical
Research
JILA: Joint Institute for
Laboratory Astrophysics
JPL: Jet Propulsion
Laboratory
JSC: Johnson Space Center
(NASA)
KAO: Kuiper Airborne
Observatory
KPNO: Kitt Peak National
Observatory
KSC: Kennedy Space Center
(NASA)
KTB: Cretaceous-Tertiary
Boundary (from German)
LANL: Los Alamos National
Laboratory
LaRC: Langley Research Center
(NASA)
LDEF: Long Duration Exposure
Facility
LEM: Lunar Excursion Module
(a.k.a. LM) (Apollo spacecraft)
LEO: Low Earth Orbit
LeRC: Lewis Research Center
(NASA)
LEST: Large Earth-based Solar
Telescope
LFSA: List of Frequently Seen
Acronyms (!)
LGA: Low Gain Antenna
LGM: Little Green Men
LH: Liquid Hydrogen (also LH2 or
LHX)
LLNL: Lawrence-Livermore
National Laboratory
LM: Lunar Module (a.k.a. LEM)
(Apollo spacecraft)
LMC: Large Magellanic
Cloud
LN2: Liquid N2
(Nitrogen)
LOX: Liquid OXygen
LPO: La Palma
Observatory
LPV: Long Period
Variable
LRB: Liquid Rocket
Booster
LSR: Local Standard of
Rest
LTP: Lunar Transient
Phenomenon
M: Messier (as in M31, M13, M57,
etcetera)
MACRO: Monopoles, Astrophysics,
and Cosmic Ray Observatory
MB: Manned Base
MCC: Mission Control
Center
MECO: Main Engine
CutOff
MMH: MonoMethyl
Hydrazine
MMT: Multiple Mirror
Telescope
MMU: Manned Maneuvering
Unit
MNRAS: Monthly Notices of the
Royal Astronomical Society
MOC: Mars Observer Camera (on
Mars Observer)
MOL: Manned Orbiting
Laboratory
MOLA: Mars Observer Laser
Altimeter (on Mars Observer)
MOMV: Manned Orbital Maneuvering
Vehicle
MOTV: Manned Orbital Transfer
Vehicle
MPC: Minor Planets
Circular
MPEC: Minor Planets Electronic
Circular
MRSR: Mars Rover and Sample
Return
MRSRM: Mars Rover and Sample
Return Mission
MSFC: (George C.) Marshall Space
Flight Center (NASA)
MTC: Man Tended
Capability
NACA: National Advisory
Committee on Aeronautics (became NASA)
NASA: National Aeronautics and
Space Administration
NASDA: NAtional Space
Development Agency (Japan)
NASM: National Air and Space
Museum
NASP: National AeroSpace
Plane
NBS: National Bureau of
Standards (now NIST)
NDV: NASP Derived
Vehicle
NERVA: Nuclear Engine for Rocket
Vehicle Application
NGC: New General
Catalog
NICMOS: Near Infrared Camera /
Multi Object Spectrometer (HST upgrade)
NIMS: Near-Infrared Mapping
Spectrometer (on Galileo)
NIR: Near InfraRed
NIST: National Institute of
Standards and Technology (was NBS)
NLDP: National Launch
Development Program
NOAA: National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration
NOAO: National Optical Astronomy
Observatories
NORAD: NORth American aerospace
Defense
NRAO: National Radio Astronomy
Observatory
NRO: National Reconnaissance
Office
NS: Neutron Star
NSA: National Security
Agency
NSF: National Science
Foundation
NSO: National Solar
Observatory
NSSDC: National Space Science
Data Center
NTR: Nuclear Thermal
Rocket(ry)
NTT: New Technology
Telescope
OAO: Orbiting Astronomical
Observatory
OCST: Office of Commercial Space
Transportation
OMB: Office of Management and
Budget
OMS: Orbital Maneuvering
System
OPF: Orbiter Processing
Facility
ORFEUS: Orbiting and Retrievable
Far and Extreme Ultraviolet
Spectrometer
OSC: Orbital Sciences
Corporation
OSCAR: Orbiting Satellite
Carrying Amateur Radio
OSSA: Office of Space Science
and Applications
OSSE: Oriented Scintillation
Spectrometer Experiment (on CGRO)
OTA: Optical Telescope Assembly
(on HST)
OTHB: Over The Horizon
Backscatter
OTV: Orbital Transfer
Vehicle
OV: Orbital Vehicle
PAM: Payload Assist
Module
PAM-D: Payload Assist Module,
Delta-class
PDS: Planetary Data
System
PI: Principal
Investigator
PLSS: Portable Life Support
System
PM: Pressurized
Module
PMC: Permanently Manned
Capability
PMIRR: Pressure Modulated
InfraRed Radiometer (on Mars Observer)
PMT: PhotoMultiplier
Tube
PPM: Positions and Proper
Motions (catalog)
PSF: Point Spread
Function
PSR: PulSaR
PV: Photovoltaic
PVO: Pioneer Venus
Orbiter
QSO: Quasi-Stellar
Object
RAS: Royal Astronomical
Society
RASC: Royal Astronomical Society
of Canada
RCI: Rodent Cage Interface (for
SLS mission)
RCS: Radar Cross
Section
RCS: Reaction Control
System
REM: Rat Enclosure Module (for
SLS mission)
RF: Radio Frequency
RFI: Radio Frequency
Interference
RFNA: Red Fuming Nitric
Acid
RIACS: Research Institute for
Advanced Computer Science
RMS: Remote Manipulator
System
RNGC: Revised New General
Catalog
ROSAT: ROentgen
SATellite
ROUS: Rodents Of Unusual Size (I
don't believe they exist)
RSN: Radio SuperNova
RSN: Real Soon Now
RTG: Radioisotope Thermoelectric
Generator
RTLS: Return To Launch Site
(Shuttle abort plan)
SAA: South Atlantic
Anomaly
SAGA: Solar Array Gain
Augmentation (for HST)
SAMPEX: Solar Anomalous and
Magnetospheric Particle EXplorer
SAO: Smithsonian Astrophysical
Observatory
SAR: Search And
Rescue
SAR: Synthetic Aperture
Radar
SARA: Satellite pour Astronomie
Radio Amateur
SAREX: Search and Rescue
Exercise
SAREX: Space Amateur Radio
Experiment
SAS: Space Activity
Suit
SAS: Space Adaptation
Syndrome
SAT: Synthetic Aperture
Telescope
S/C: SpaceCraft
SCA: Shuttle Carrier
Aircraft
SCT: Schmidt-Cassegrain
Telescope
SDI: Strategic Defense
Initiative
SDIO: Strategic Defense
Initiative Organization (now BMDO)
SEDS: Students for the
Exploration and Development of Space
SEI: Space Exploration
Initiative
SEST: Swedish ESO Submillimeter
Telescope
SETI: Search for
ExtraTerrestrial Intelligence
SID: Sudden Ionospheric
Disturbance
SIR: Shuttle Imaging
Radar
SIRTF: Space (formerly Shuttle)
InfraRed Telescope Facility
SL: (Comet)
Shoemaker-Levy
SL: SpaceLab
SLAR: Side-Looking Airborne
Radar
SLC: Space Launch
Complex
SLS: Space(lab) Life
Sciences
SMC: Small Magellanic
Cloud
SME: Solar Mesosphere
Explorer
SMEX: SMall EXplorers
SMM: Solar Maximum
Mission
SN: SuperNova (e.g.,
SN1987A)
SNR: Signal to Noise
Ratio
SNR: SuperNova
Remnant
SNU: Solar Neutrino
Units
SOFIA: Stratospheric Observatory
For Infrared Astronomy
SOHO: SOlar Heliospheric
Observatory
SPAN: Space Physics and Analysis
Network
SPDM: Special Purpose Dextrous
Manipulator
SPOT: Satellite Pour
l'Observation de la Terre
SPS: Solar Power
Satellite
SR: Special
Relativity
SRB: Solid Rocket
Booster
SRM: Solid Rocket
Motor
SSF: Space Station Fred (er,
Freedom) (Superseded by ISSA)
SSI: Solid-State Imager (on
Galileo)
SSI: Space Studies
Institut
SSME: Space Shuttle Main
Engine
SSPF: Space Station Processing
Facility
SSPS: Sky Survey Prototype
System
SSRMS: Space Station Remote
Manipulator System
SSRT: Single Stage Rocket
Technology
SST: Spectroscopic Survey
Telescope
SST: SuperSonic
Transport
SSTO: Single Stage To
Orbit
STIS: Space Telescope Imaging
Spectrometer (to replace FOC and GHRS)
STS: Shuttle Transport System
(or) Space Transportation System
STScI: Space Telescope Science
Institute
STSDAS: Space Telescope Science
Data Analysis System
SWAS: Submillimeter Wave
Astronomy Satellite
SWF: ShortWave Fading
TAL: Transatlantic Abort Landing
(Shuttle abort plan)
TAU: Thousand Astronomical Unit
(mission)
TCS: Thermal Control
System
TDRS: Tracking and Data Relay
Satellite
TDRSS: Tracking and Data Relay
Satellite System
TEA: Torque Equilibrium
Attitude
TES: Thermal Emission
Spectrometer (on Mars Observer)
TIROS: Television InfraRed
Observation Satellite
TLA: Three Letter
Acronym
TOMS: Total Ozone Mapping
Spectrometer
TOPS: Toward Other Planetary
Systems
TPS: Thermal Protection
System
TSS: Targeted Search
System
TSS: Tethered Satellite
System
TSTO: Two Stage To Orbit (also
2STO)
UARS: Upper Atmosphere Research
Satellite
UBM: Unpressurized Berthing
Mechanism
UDMH: Unsymmetrical DiMethyl
Hydrazine
UFO: Unidentified Flying
Object
UGC: Uppsala General
Catalog
UHF: Ultra High
Frequency
UIT: Ultraviolet Imaging
Telescope (Astro package)
UKST: United Kingdom Schmidt
Telescope
USAF: United States Air
Force
USMP: United States Microgravity
Payload
UT: Universal Time (a.k.a. GMT,
or Zulu Time; cf UTC)
UTC: Coordinated Universal Time
(subtly different from UT)
UV: UltraViolet
UVS: UltraViolet
Spectrometer
VAB: Vehicle Assembly Building
(formerly Vertical Assembly Building)
VAFB: Vandenberg Air Force
Base
VEEGA: Venus-Earth-Earth Gravity
Assist (Galileo flight path)
VHF: Very High
Frequency
VLA: Very Large Array
VLBA: Very Long Baseline
Array
VLBI: Very Long Baseline
Interferometry
VLF: Very Low
Frequency
VLT: Very Large
Telescope
VMS: Vertical Motion
Simulator
VOIR: Venus Orbiting Imaging
Radar (superseded by VRM)
VPF: Vertical Processing
Facility
VRM: Venus Radar Mapper (now
called Magellan)
VTHL: Vertical Takeoff
Horizontal Landing
VTVL: Vertical Takeoff Vertical
Landing
WD: White Dwarf
WFF: Wallops Flight
Facility
WFPC: Wide Field / Planetary
Camera (on HST)
WFPCII: Replacement for
WFPC
WIYN: Wisconsin / Indiana / Yale
/ NOAO telescope
WR: Western Range (was
WTR)
WSF: Wake Shield
Facility
WSMR: White Sands Missile
Range
WTR: Western Test
Range
WUPPE: Wisconsin Ultraviolet
PhotoPolarimter Experiment (Astro package)
XMM: X-ray Multi
Mirror
XUV: eXtreme
UltraViolet
YSO: Young Stellar
Object
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