| Acronym | Meaning |
| INTELSAT | International Telecommunications Satellite |
| CCD | Charge-Coupled Device |
| ESO | European Southern Observatory |
| SBIR | Small Business Innovation Research |
| TSUP | Tsentr Upravileniya Polyoti |
| CFHT | Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope |
| PN | Planetary Nebula |
| CELSS | Controlled Ecological Life Support System |
| VTHL | Vertical Takeoff Horizontal Landing |
| DESAT | Desaturation |