*A*
A |
Angstrom unit |
A |
ampere |
AA |
Academic Affairs |
AAS |
American Astronomical Society |
AB |
Archive Branch (STScI) |
ACE |
Actuator Control Electronics |
ACK |
acknowldgement message (this is not an acronym) |
ACPG |
Astronomical Community Participation Group (STScI) |
ACS |
Actuator Control System |
A/D |
Analog to Digital |
ADC |
Analog to Digital Converter |
ADOR |
Astrometry and Design Operations Review |
ADP |
Automated Data Processing |
AEDP |
Astrometry and Engineering Data Processing |
AGK3 |
Katalog der Astronomischen Gesellschaft 3 |
AH |
ampere hours |
AHU |
Air Handling Unit |
AIAA |
American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics |
AIPS |
Astronomical Image Processing System |
AJ |
Astronomical Journal |
AMU |
Atomic mass unit |
A/N |
alphanumeric |
ANSI |
American National Standards Institute |
AO |
Announcement of Opportunity |
AOC |
Award of contract |
AP |
array processor |
ApJ |
Astrophysical Journal |
APL |
Applied Physics Laboratory (JHU) |
APS |
American Physical Society |
APSB |
Advance Planning Systems Branch |
ASAP |
as soon as possible |
ASCII |
American Standard Code for Information Interchange |
ASP |
analog signal processor |
ASP |
Astronomical Society of the Pacific |
AST |
Astrometry (data class) |
AST |
Astrometry Science Team |
ASW |
address and synchronization word |
AT |
acceptance test |
ATC |
Absolute Time Command |
AU |
astronomical unit |
AURA |
Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy, Inc. |
AVWG |
Assembly and Verification Working Group |
AXAF |
Assembly and Verification Working Group |
AZ |
azimuth |
*C*
C |
degrees Celsius |
CA |
Coronagraphic Apodizer |
C&A |
calibration and analysis |
CADC |
Canadian Astronomical Data Center (Victoria BC) |
CAMAC |
Computer-Aided Measurement and Control |
CAS |
cost accounting standards |
CASB |
Catalogs And Survey Branch |
CASE |
computer aided software engineering |
CBS |
Contract and Business Services (STScI) |
C/C |
configuration control |
CCB |
Configuration Control Board |
CCD |
charge coupled device |
CCIR |
Consultative Committee on International Radio |
CCITT |
Consultative Committee on International Telegraph & Telephone |
CCL |
closed conference loop |
CCR |
configuration change request |
CCTV |
closed circuit television |
CD |
compact disc |
CDBS |
Calibration Data Base System |
CDCA |
Centre de Depoiullement des Cliches Astronimiques |
CD-ROM |
compact disc-read only memory |
CDR |
critical design review |
C&DH |
Control and Data Handling |
CDR |
Critical Design Review |
CIT |
California Institute of Technology (Pasadena, CA) (do not use CIT, use Caltech) |
CKSM |
checksum |
CL |
command language (IRAF system level) |
CM |
configuration management |
cm |
centimeter |
CMOS |
complimentary metal oxide semiconductor |
CM/QA |
Configuration Management/Quality Assurance |
CNS |
Computing and Network Services (STScI) |
CO |
contracting officer |
COB |
close of business |
CODMAC |
Committee on Data Management and Computing |
COSTAR |
Corrective Optics Space Telescope Axial Replacement |
CPAF |
cost plus award fee |
CPFF |
cost plus fixed fee |
CPI |
characters per inch |
CPI |
Continuous Process Improvement |
CPMF |
cost plus management fee |
CPMM |
characters per millimeter |
CPU |
central processing unit |
CRB |
Change Review Board |
CRC |
cyclic redundancy check |
CRT |
cathode ray tube |
CSAA |
Committee on Space Astronomy and Astrophysics |
CSC |
Computer Sciences Corporation |
CSI |
Catalog of Stellar Identifications |
CSLG |
Campus-wide Software License Grants Program |
CTA |
Computer Technology Associates |
CTE |
charge transfer efficiency |
CTIO |
Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory (Chile) |
CTWG |
Calibration Targets Working Group |
CU |
calibration unit (avoid using as an abbreviation, often confused with central unit, camera unit, command unit, etc.) |
CV |
cataclysmic variable star |
CV |
curriculum vitae |
CVC |
Current to Voltage Converter |
CVZ |
continuous viewing zone |
CY |
calendar year |
*D*
D/A |
digital to analog |
DADS |
Data Archive and Distribution System |
DAO |
Dominion Astrophysical Observatory (Victoria, BC, Canada) |
DAR |
Defense Acquisition Regulation |
DBMS |
data base management system |
DBSA |
Database and System Administration team (STScI) |
dBw |
decibel reference to 1 watt |
DC |
direct current |
DCA |
Detector Control Assembly |
DCB |
Design Change Board |
DCC |
Document Control Center |
DCF |
Data Capture Facility |
DCL |
Digital Control Language (VAX/VMS) |
DCMF |
Data Capture and Management Facility (GSFC) |
DCR |
document change request |
DD |
Deputy Director |
DDCMP |
Digital Data Communications Message Protocol |
DDF |
Directors Discretionary Fund |
DDL |
Data Definition Language |
DE |
detector efficiency |
DEC |
declination |
DEC |
Digital Equipment Corporation |
DEFCAL |
deflection calibration |
DG |
data group |
DH |
data handling |
DMA |
direct memory access |
DMF |
Data Management Facility |
DMS |
Daily Mission Schedule |
DMS |
Data Management Subsystem |
DN |
digital number |
DNA |
Digital Network Architecture |
DOC |
Data Operations Center |
DOD |
Department of Defense |
DOMSAT |
Domestic Communications Satellite |
DOV |
Director of Orbital Verification |
DOY |
day of year |
DQE |
detector quantum efficiency |
DQF |
data quality file |
DRD |
Data Requirements Document |
DSD |
Data Systems Division (STScI) |
DSN |
Deep Space Network |
DSOB |
Data Systems Operations Branch |
*E*
E/A |
ephemeris/attitude |
EBA |
Electronics Bay Assembly |
EBS |
Electron Bombarded Silicon |
ECA |
Electronics Control Assembly |
ECF |
European Coordinating Facility (write as ST-ECF) |
EDB |
Engineering Data Base |
EDT |
eastern daylight time |
EED |
extracted engineering data (file type) |
EEO |
Equal Employment Opportunity |
EF |
Event Foreground (record type) |
EIA |
Electronic Industries Association |
ELV |
expendable launch vehicle |
EMI |
electromagnetic interference |
EMU |
Extra-vehicular Mobility Unit |
EOF |
end of file |
EOL |
end of line |
EOR |
end of record |
EOR |
end of record |
EOT |
end of tape |
EOY |
end of year |
EPAO |
Educational and Public Affairs Office (do not use EPA) |
EPS |
Encapsulated PostScript |
EROS |
Earth Resources Observation Satellite |
ERRSAC |
Eastern Regional Remote Sensing Applications Center |
ESA |
European Space Agency |
ESB |
Engineering Support Branch |
ESO |
European Southern Observatory |
ESOC |
European Space Operations Center |
ESS |
Engineering Support System |
EST |
eastern standard time |
ESTEC |
European Space Technology Center |
ESTR |
Engineering and Science Tape Recorder |
ETA |
estimated time of arrival |
ETC |
STDN station (Greenbelt MD) |
ETC |
estimated time to completion |
ETOL |
ESA Test and Operations Language |
ETR |
Eastern Test Range |
ETR |
Engineering Tape Recorder |
ETRD |
Engineering Tape Recorded Data |
EU |
engineering unit |
EUV |
extreme ultraviolet |
EVA |
extra vehicular activity |
*I*
IAU |
International Astrophysical Union |
ICCD |
intensified charge coupled device |
ICD |
Interface Control Document |
ICF |
intrinsic correlation function |
ID |
identification |
IDL |
Interactive Data Language (software from RSI) |
IDM |
Intelligent Database Machine (made by Britton-Lee) |
IDT |
image dissector tube |
IDT |
Instrument Development Team (also Investigation Definition Team) |
IEEE |
Institute for Electrical and Electronic Engineers |
IFOV |
instantaneous field of view |
IFOV |
instantaneous field of view |
IFT |
inverse Fourier transform |
IGI |
Interactive Graphics Interpreter (program in STSDAS) |
IIPS |
Interactive Image Processing System |
IMIO |
image input/output |
IMSL |
International Mathematical and Statistical Library |
I/O |
input/output |
IP |
Internet Protocol |
IPC |
inter-process communication |
IPPPSSOOT |
file naming convention for HST data sets (not an acronym) |
ips |
inches per second |
IQL |
Interactive Query Language |
IR |
infrared |
IRAC |
International Radio Advisory Committee |
IRAF |
Image Reduction Analysis Facility (written by NOAO) |
IRAS |
Infrared Astronomy Satellite |
IRD |
Interface Requirements Document |
ISR |
instrument science report |
ITF |
intensity transfer function |
ITT |
International Telephone and Telegraph |
IU |
interface unit |
IUE |
International Ultraviolet Explorer |
IUESIPS |
IUE Spectral Image Processing System |
IV |
intra vehicular |
IVC |
Institute Visiting Committee |
IWG |
Interface Working Group |
*M*
m |
meter |
mag |
magnitude, unit of star flux, larger value is fainter star |
MB |
megabyte |
mas |
milliarcsecond |
MDB |
multiplexed data bus |
MEM |
Maximum Entropy Method |
MeV |
million electron volts |
MFR |
Manipulator Foot Restraint |
MHz |
megahertz |
MIDAS |
Munich Image Data Analysis System |
MIL-STD |
military standard |
MIPS |
million instructions per second |
MIS |
management information system |
MIT |
Massachusetts Institute of Technology (Cambridge MA) |
MJD |
modified Julian date |
MKO |
Mauna Kea Observatory |
mm |
millimeter |
MM |
memory module |
MMI |
man-machine interface |
MMS |
Module Management System |
MMU |
Manned Maneuvering Unit |
MOA |
memorandum of agreement |
MONGO |
Interactive graphics software package; this is not an acronym |
MOR |
Mission Operations Room |
MOS |
metal oxide semiconductor |
MOSES |
Mission Operations and Systems Engineering Support |
MOSS |
Moving Object Support System |
MOU |
memorandum of understanding |
MOWG |
Mission Operations Working Group |
M&P |
materials and processes |
MPP |
multi-pinned phase |
MPS |
Mission Planning System |
M&R |
maintenance and refurbishment |
MRB |
Material Review Board |
MS |
master schedule |
MS |
mission schedule |
ms |
millisecond |
MSE |
Milton S. Eisenhower library (JHU) |
MSFC |
Marshall Space Flight Center (Huntsville AL) |
MSC |
Mission Support Calibration |
MSOCC |
Multisatellite Operations Control Center |
MT |
moving target |
MTBF |
mean time between failure |
MTF |
modulation transfer function |
MTL |
mission time line |
MTR |
mean time to restore (also mean time to repair) |
MU |
memory unit |
mv |
visual magnitude |
Mv |
absolute visual magnitude |
*N*
N |
Newton |
N/A |
not applicable |
NAG |
Numerical Algorithms Groups |
NAIF |
Navigation Ancillary Information Facility |
NAS |
National Academy of Sciences |
NASA |
National Aeronautics and Space Administration |
NASCOM |
NASA communications network |
NBS |
National Bureau of Standards (now NIST, do not use NBS) |
NCAR |
National Center for Atmospheric Research (also their s/w) |
NCC |
Network Control Center |
NCSA |
National Center for Supercomputer Applications (Urbana IL) |
ND |
neutral density |
NDC |
Network Data Center |
NEA |
noise equivalent angle |
NEC |
National Electrical Code |
NEMA |
National Electrical Manufacturers Association |
NEP |
North Ecliptic Pole |
NFS |
Network File System |
NGP |
North Galactic Pole |
NGT |
NASA Ground Terminal (White Sands NM) |
NGT |
Next Generation Telescope |
NICMOS |
Near-Infrared Camera and Multi-Object Spectrometer |
NIST |
National Institute of Standards and Technology |
NIU |
NASCOM Interface Unit |
nm |
nanometer |
NM |
Newton Meters |
nmi |
nautical miles |
NOAA |
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration |
NOAO |
National Optical Astronomy Observatories (Tucson, AZ) |
NOCC |
Network Operations Control Center |
NRAO |
National Radio Astronomy Observatory (Greenbank, WV) |
NRC |
National Research Council |
NRL |
Naval Research Laboratory |
NRT |
near real time |
NSF |
National Science Foundation |
NSI |
NASA Science Internet |
NSP |
NASA Support Plan |
NSSDC |
National Space Science Data Center (Greenbelt, MD) |
NTT |
New Technology Telescope |
NVR |
non-volatile residue |
*O*
OAF |
Optical Alignment Facility |
OAO |
Orbiting Astronomical Observatory (also OAO Corporation) |
OBC |
on-board computer |
OBP |
on-board processor |
OCB |
Operational Configuration Baseline |
OCC |
Operations Control Center |
OCS |
Optical Control System |
OCX |
observation comments file (from OSS) |
ODB |
Operations Data Base |
ODC |
other direct cost |
ODF |
Orbit Determination Facility |
ODL |
Observation Data Log |
OFAD |
optical field angle distortion |
OGSE |
optical ground support equipment |
OLT |
Observatory Level Test |
O*amp;M |
operations and maintenance |
OMB |
Office of Management and Budget |
OMS |
Observatory Monitoring System |
ONR |
Office of Naval Research |
OPB |
Observation Planning Branch |
OPD |
Operations and Data Processing Division (STScI) |
OPF |
Orbiter Processing Facility |
OPO |
Office of Public Outreach (STScI) |
OPO |
Operations Project Office (STScI) |
OPR |
Operations Problem Report |
OPS |
Operations Division (STScI) |
OPUS |
OSS and PODPS Unified Systems |
ORD |
Operations Requirements Document |
ORI |
Orbit Replaceable Instrument |
ORR |
Orbit Readiness Review |
OS |
operating system |
OSB |
Operations Software Branch (STScI) |
OSG |
Observatory Support Group (STScI) |
OSHA |
Occupational Safety and Health Act |
OSS |
Observation Support System |
OSSO |
Observation Science Support Office (STScI) |
OST |
Observation Sequence Table |
OTA |
Optical Telescope Assembly |
OV |
orbital verification |
OVIWG |
Orbital Verification Implementation Working Group |
*P*
P&A |
Physics and Astronomy (building) at JHU, Bloomberg |
PAD |
pulse amplitude discriminator |
PASP |
Proceedings of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific |
PASS |
POCC Application Software Support |
PC |
Planetary Camera |
PCM |
pulse code modulation |
PCS |
Pointing Control System |
PCT |
Program Coordinator Team |
PDA |
Photon Detector Assembly |
PDB |
project data base |
PDQ |
PODPS Data Quality (file type) |
PDR |
preliminary design review |
PDS |
Photometric Data Systems (plate scanner) |
P-E |
Perkin-Elmer Corporation |
PEB |
Performance Evaluation Board |
PEP |
Proposal Entry Processor |
PEPSI |
PEP System |
PFM |
Pre-Flight Module |
PFR |
portable foot restraint |
PFS |
percent full scale |
PGPLOT |
FORTRAN subroutine library for plotting graphics |
PI |
principle investigator |
PM |
primary mirror |
PM |
project manager |
PMDB |
Project Management Data Base |
PMT |
photomultiplier tube |
POCC |
Payload Operations Control Center |
PODPS |
Post Observation Data Processing System |
PORTS |
Preliminary Operations Requirements and Test Support |
POSS |
Palomar Observatory Sky Survey |
PPF |
Payload Processing Facility |
ppm |
parts per million |
PR |
Problem Report |
PR |
public relations |
PRB |
Preliminary Review Board |
PRESTO |
Project to Re-Engineer Space Telescope Observing (was US/PS) |
PROM |
programmable read-only memory |
PROS |
Post Reduction Offline Software (x-ray software from SAO) |
PRR |
Preliminary Requirements Review |
PSF |
point spread function |
psi |
per square inch |
PSK |
phase shift keying |
PSL |
Program Support Library |
P/SOS |
Payload/Spacecraft Operations Simulator |
PSR |
Project Status Review |
PSS |
Palomar Sky Survey (also POSS) |
PTF |
Payload Test Facility |
PWLA |
Portable Work Light Assembly |
PWM |
pulse width modulated |
*S*
SA |
solar array |
SAA |
South Atlantic Anomaly |
SAC |
Solar Array Carrier |
SADE-1 |
Solar Array Deploy Electronics-1 |
SAL |
Space Astronomy Laboratory (Univ. Wisconsin, Madison WI) |
SAM |
small angle maneuver |
SAO |
Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory |
SAOC |
SAO Catalog |
SAR |
Software Analysis Room |
S/C |
spacecraft (preferred use is to spell out) |
SCAC |
Science Computing Advisory Commitee |
SCARS |
Science Computing & Research Support Division (STScI) |
SCCCB |
Science Computing Configuration Control Board |
SCE |
Spacecraft Command Encoder |
SCL |
Service Control Level |
SCMS |
STScI Code Management System |
SCO |
Software Change Order |
SCP |
single color photometry |
Science Data Analyst |
Small Computer Systems Interface |
SCSI |
Small Computer Systems Interface |
SDA |
Science Data Analyst Small Computer Systems Interface |
SDAS |
Scientific Data Analysis System (replaced by STSDAS, do not use SDAS) |
SDD |
Software Design Document |
SDF |
Science Data Formatter |
SDH |
science data header (file type) |
SDM |
Secondary Deployment Mechanism |
SDP |
science data packet |
SDR |
System Design Review |
SEA |
Sensor Electronics Assembly |
SEB |
Source Evaluation Board |
SEB |
Systems Engineering Branch |
sec |
seconds |
SEP |
South Ecliptic Pole |
SEP |
Systems Engineering Plan |
SEP |
System Enhancement Plan |
SER |
Systems Engineering Report |
SESD |
Science and Engineering Systems Division (STScI) |
sf |
square foot |
SGP |
South Galactic Pole |
SHL |
science header line |
SHP |
standard header packet (file type) |
SI |
science instrument (preferred use is to spell out) |
SIAF |
Science Instrument Aperture File |
SIB |
Science Instrument Branch (STScI) |
SIC |
Spacecraft Identification Code |
SID |
Software Implementation Directive |
SIDS |
SI Detector System |
SIF |
Science Instrument Formatter |
SIF |
SOGS Integration Facility |
SIM |
simulator or simulation |
SIMA |
Secondary Mirror Incremental Motor Actuator |
SIMM |
standard inline memory module |
SIP |
Software Implementation Plan |
SIP |
SOGS-invocable procedure |
SIPE |
Science Instrument Protective Enclosure |
SIPS |
Spectral Image Processing System |
SIRD |
Support Instrumentation Requirements Document |
SIRTF |
Shuttle Infrared Telescope Facility |
SITB |
System Integration and Testing Branch (STScI) |
SJC |
slit jaw camera |
SJR |
Software Justification Report |
SLTV |
system level thermal vacuum |
SM |
secondary mirror |
SM |
safe mode |
SMA |
Secondary Mirror Assembly |
SMM |
Solar Maximum Mission |
SMM |
science mission management |
SMM |
Spectro-Mirror Mechanism |
SMO |
Servicing Mission Office (STScI) |
SMOV |
Servicing Mission Observatory Verification |
SMS |
Science Mission Specification |
S/N |
signal to noise ratio |
S/N |
serial number |
SNAP |
Structural Network Analysis Program |
SOB |
Science Observatory Branch (STScI) |
SOFA |
Selectable Optical Filter Assembly |
SOGS |
Science Operations Ground System |
SOW |
statement of work |
SP |
sun point |
SPA |
Solar Panel Assembly |
SPAN |
Space Physics Analysis Network (now part of NSI) |
SPB |
Science Planning Branch (STScI) |
SPD |
Science Programs Division (STScI) |
SPE |
static phase error |
SPG |
Special Projects Group (STScI) |
SPIE |
Society of Photo-optical Instrumentation Engineers |
SPIEL |
Signal Processing Interactive Extensible Language |
SPIF |
Shuttle POCC Interface Facility |
SPO |
Sacramento Peak Observatory |
SPP |
Subset Preprocessor (IRAF programming language) |
SPR |
Software Problem Report |
SPSO |
Science Program Selection Office (STScI) |
SPSS |
Science Planning and Scheduling System |
SPST |
Science Planning and Scheduling Team |
SPYBAL |
spectrum Y balance |
SQA |
software quality assurance |
SQPN |
staggered quadriphase pseudo-random noise |
SQPK |
staggered quadrature phase shift keying |
SRB |
solid rocket booster |
SRC |
Science Research Council (U.K.) |
SRD |
Software Requirements Document |
SRS |
Southern Reference Star |
SS |
Star Selector (FGS) |
SS |
System Simulator |
SS |
Safing System |
SSA |
Star Selector Assembly |
SSA |
Small Science Aperture (GHRS) |
SSB |
Science Software Branch (STScI) |
SSB |
Space Science Board (NRC) |
SSC |
Science Support Center (STOCC) |
SSE |
Star Selector Encoder |
SSG |
Science Software Group (STScI) |
SSM |
System Support Module |
SSC |
STEIS Steering Committee |
SSD |
Science Support Division (STScI) |
SSO |
Special Studies Office (STScI) |
SST |
Software Support Team (STScI) |
ST |
Space Telescope (preferred use is HST) |
STAC |
Space Telescope Advisory Council |
STAN |
Space Telescope Analysis Newsletter |
STAR |
Space Telescope Axial Replacement (see COSTAR) |
STARCAT |
Space Telescope Archive Catalog |
STAT |
Space Telescope Astrometry Team |
STAVF |
Space Telescope Assembly and Verification Facility |
STDN |
Satellite Tracking and Data Network |
ST-ECF |
Space Telescope European Coordinating Facility |
STEIS |
Space Telescope Electronic Information System |
STFS |
Space Telescope Flight Software |
STIC |
Space Telescope Institute Council |
STIF |
Software Test and Integration Facility |
STIF |
Science and Technology Information Facility (Linthicum MD) |
STIS |
Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph |
STL |
science trailer line |
STOCC |
Space Telescope Operations Control Center (GSFC, Greenbelt MD) |
STOL |
Systems Test and Operations Language |
STOMS |
Space Telescope Observatory Management System |
STR |
Software Test Report |
STR |
Science Tape Recorder |
STS |
Space Transportation System (jargon for the shuttle) |
STScI |
Space Telescope Science Institute |
STSDAS |
Space Telescope Science Data Analysis System (built on IRAF) |
STSWG |
Space Telescope Science Working Group |
STVSW |
Space Telescope Verification Software |
SUNY |
State University of New York |
SV |
science verification |
SVD |
singular value decomposition |
SVWG |
Science Verification Working Group |
S/W |
software (preferred use is to spell out) |
SWAT |
swift action team |