| Acronym | Meaning |
| FOS | Faint Object Spectrograph |
| PLB | Payload Bay |
| FGS | Fine Guidance Sensors |
| AACS | Attitude And Articulation Control Subsystem |
| EOSP | Earth Observing Scanning Polarimeter |
| FAST | Fast Auroral SnapshoT Explorer |
| HRPT | High Resolution Picture Transmission |
| HTHL | Horizontal Takeoff Horizontal Landing |
| AFGWC | Air Force Global Weather Center |
| JERS | Japanese Earth Resources Satellite |