| Acronym | Meaning |
| AMS | American Meteorological Society |
| ESOC | European Satellite Operations Center |
| STEP | Satellite Technology Education Program (WSGC) |
| HIRS | High-resolution Infrared Radiation Sounder |
| IRIS | Infrared Radiation Interferometer Spectrometer (1960s) |
| ABS | Advanced Baseline Sounder |
| TIROS | Television InfraRed Observation Satellite (POES) |
| SSU | Stratospheric Sounding Unit (TOVS) |
| ESSP | Earth System Science Pathfinder Mission (ESSP) |
| CERES | Clouds And The Earth's Radiant Energy System (EOS) |