| Acronym | Meaning |
| DARA | Deutsche Agentur Fuer Raumfahrtangelegenheiten |
| ATAL | Alternate Transoceanic Abort Landing |
| SDIO | Strategic Defense Initiative Organization |
| LEO | Low Earth Orbit |
| APT | Automatic Picture Transmission |
| LMC | Large Magellanic Cloud |
| PDS | Planetary Data System |
| VIB | Vertical Integration Building |
| IAPPP | International Amateur/Professional Photoelectric Photometry |
| HD | Henry Draper Catalog Entry |