Did you ever wonder what those strange conglomerations of letters you read in an article about NASA and space exploration meant? Here's your chance to find out what those NASA acronyms stand for. About Space and Astronomy presents the Guide to NASA Acronyms. This page lists acronyms starting with A. For others, click on the appropriate letter below.
Space Acronyms for topics that begin with A.
AAFE: Aeroassist Flight Experiment
- ABCL: As Built Configuration List
ABHRS: As Built Hardware Reporting System
AC: Alternating Current
AC: Comptroller Office
ACES: Acoustic Containerless Experiment System
ACIP: Assembly Configuration and Integration Panel
ACR: Active Cavity Radiometer
ACRIM: Active Cavity Radiometer Irradiance Monitor
ACRBC: Acceptance, Checkout, Retest, and Backout Criteria
ACRC: Assured Crew Return Capability - Now ACRV
- ACRV: Assured Crew Return Vehicle
ACTS: (TOS) Advanced Communications Technology Satellite
AD: Aperture Door
ADC: Affiliated Data Center
ADEOS: Advanced Earth Observing Mission
ADP: Acceptance Data Package
ADP: Automated Data Processing
ADPS: Acceptance Data Package System
ADSF: Advanced Directional Solidification Furnace
AEG: AEG Telefunken
- AEPI: Atmospheric Emissions Photo Imaging
AES: Atmospheric Exchange System
AESE: Airborne Electrical Support Equipment
AFB: Air Force Base
AFD: Aft Flight Deck
AFE: American Flight Echocardiograph
AFP: Air Force Program
AFR: Air Force Regulation
AFSCF: Air Force Satellite Control Facility
AFTE: Autogenic Feedback Training Experiment
- AFTA: Aft Frame Tilt Actuator
AGOSS: Automated Ground Operations Scheduling System
AHU: Air Handling Unit
AI: Artificial Intelligence
AIRS: Atmospheric Infrared Sounder
AIT: Aeritalia
A/L: Air Lock
ALAE: Atmospheric Lyman Alpha Experiment
ALC: Augmented Landing Site
ALERT: Acute Launch Emergency Reliability Tip
ALRUTS: Automated Line Replaceable Unit Tracking System
- ALS: Advanced Launch System
ALT: Altimeter
AMF: Astronaut Memorial Foundation
AMSU: Advanced Microwave Sounding Unit
ANSI: American National Standard Institute
AO: Assembly Order
AOA: Abort Once Around
APC: Adaptive Payload Carrier
APCS: Automated Project Control System - ARTEMIS
APID: Applications Process Identification
APS: Acquisition Processor Subsystem
- ARC: Ames Research Center
ARC: Aggregation of Red Cells
ARS: Archive and Retrieval Subsystem (PPCU)
ARTEMIS: Project Management Software System - Metier Product
ARTS: Automated Resource Tracking System - ARTEMIS
ASCII: American Standard Code for Information Interchange
ASE: Airborne Support Equipment
ASP: Attitude Sensor Package
ASRS: Automated Support Requirements System
ASSY: Assembly
AST: Astro Star Tracker
- ASTER: Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer
ASTG: Aerospace Test Group
ATC: Absolute Time Command
ATCS: Active Thermal Control System
ATE: Automated Test Equipment
ATLAS: Atmospheric Laboratory for Applications and Science
ATMOS: Atmospheric Trace Molecule Spectroscopy
ATP: Accelerated Training Program
ATP: Acceptace Test Procedure
AWAD: Assembly Work Authorization Document