| Acronym | Meaning |
| SSCE | Solid Surface Combustion Experiment |
| AGB | Asymptotic Giant Branch |
| EUMETSAT | European Meterological Satellite Organisation |
| ISPM | International Solar Polar Mission |
| JERS | Japanese Earth Resources Satellite |
| GPC | General Purpose Computer |
| LFC | Large Format Camera |
| ASI | Agenzia Spaziale Italiano |
| GPS | Global Positioning System |
| COMPTEL | COMPton TELescope |