| Acronym | Meaning |
| BFC | Backup Flight Computer |
| AF | Air Force |
| POEM | Polar Orbiting Earth Mission |
| DPSS | DATA Processing Services Subsystem |
| GSO | GeoSynchronous Earth Orbit |
| ERBE | Earth Radiation Budget Experiment |
| SHARE | Space Station Heat Pipe Advanced Radiator Element |
| VAFB | Vandenberg Air Force Base |
| IUE | International Ultraviolet Explorer |
| ENSO | El Nino/Southern Oscillation |