| Acronym | Meaning |
| MTPE | Mission To Planet Earth |
| VAB | Vehicle Assembly Building |
| VTHL | Vertical Takeoff Horizontal Landing |
| FITS | Flexible Image Transport System |
| OV | Orbital Vehicle |
| WIYN | Wisconsin/Indiana/Yale/NOAO Telescope |
| LY | Light Year (usu. Ly) |
| ENAC | Energetic Neutral Atom Camera |
| AFPRO | Air Force Plan Representative Office |
| TOPS | Toward Other Planetary Systems |