| Acronym | Meaning |
| STS | Shuttle Transport System / Space Transportation System |
| AIPS | Astronomical Image Processing System |
| NSI | NASA Science Internet / NASA Standard Initiator / National Environmental Satellite Data And Information Service |
| NOAA | National Oceanic And Atmospheric Administration |
| MCC | Mission Control Center |
| LIS | Lightning Imaging Sensor |
| ESTEC | European Space Research And Technology Centre |
| TOPEX | Ocean Topography Experiment |
| WTR | Western Test Range |
| PI | Principal Investigator |