| Acronym | Meaning |
| MOL | Manned Orbiting Laboratory |
| TOPEX | Ocean Topography Experiment |
| RCT | Radiometric Calibration Target |
| GOMR | Global Ozone Monitoring Radiometer |
| LGA | Low Gain Antenna |
| JERS | Japanese Earth Resources Satellite |
| NBS | National Bureau Of Standards |
| MFPE | Misson From Planet Earth |
| RESTEC | Remote Sensing Technology Center |
| SPARTAN | Shuttle Pointed Autonomous Research Tool For Astronomy |