| Acronym | Meaning |
| VAS | VISSR Atmospheric Sounder (launch |
| HIRIS | HIgh-Resolution Imaging Spectrometer (EOS) |
| OSS | Office Of Space Science (NASA) |
| ESSP | Earth System Science Pathfinder Mission (ESSP) |
| HST | Hubble Space Telescope |
| ENSO | El Ni?o/Southern Oscillation |
| ITOS | Improved Television And Infrared Observation Satellite (1970s) |
| LIDAR | LIght Detection And Ranging |
| OSO | Orbiting Solar Observatory |
| XBSS | X-ray Background Survey Spectrometer |