*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 |
