ABSL
| AEA (Atomic Energy Authority) Battery Systems Ltd |
ACS
| Attitude Control System |
| ADS-P | Airbus Defence and Space, Portsmouth site |
| ADS-S | Airbus Defence and Space, Stevenage site |
| ADTM | Antenna Deployment and Trim Mechanism |
| AEL | Airborne Engineering Ltd |
| AIG | Astronomy Instrumentation Group (Cardiff Univ) |
| AIT | Assembly Integration & Test |
| AIV | Assembly Integration & Verification |
| ALM | Additive Layer Manufacturing (3D printing) |
| AMU | Atomic Mass Unit |
| ASDEC | Advanced Structural Dynamics Evaluation Centre (Leicester Univ) |
| ASIC | Application Specific Integrated Circuit |
| ATEX | ATmosphère EXplosibles (EU Directive for equipment in explosive atmospheres) |
| AVS-UK | Added Value Solutions (UK branch of Spanish company) |
| CAD | Computer Aided Design |
| CAM | Computer Aided Manufacturing |
| CCD | Charge-Coupled Device (imaging detector) |
| CCDS | Concurrent and Collaborative Design Studio |
| CCSI | Centre for the Calibration of Space Instrumentation (RAL Space and NPL) |
| CDE | Centre for Defence Enterprise |
| CDF | Concurrent Design Facility |
| CEOI-ST | Centre for Earth Observation Instrumentation and Space Technology |
| CERN | Conseil Européen pour la Recherche Nucléaire |
| CFD | Computational Fluid Dynamics |
| CFRP | Carbon Fibre Reinforced Plastic |
| CISPR | Comité International Spécial des Perturbations Radioélectriques |
| CMM | Co-ordinate Measuring Machine |
| CNC | Computer Numerically Controlled (lathe or milling machine) |
| COMSAT | COMmunications SATellite |
| COSHH | Control Of Substances Hazardous to Health |
| COTS | Commercial Off The Shelf (parts or components) |
| CSO | Composante Spatiale Optique (French military reconnaissance satellite) |
| CT | Computer Tomography (3D X-ray imaging) |
| CTE | Coefficient of Thermal Expansion |
| CVT | Continuously Variable Thrust (rocket engine) |
| DAQ | Data AcQuisition |
| DCL | Declared Components List |
| DHMR | Dry Heat Microbial Reduction (to avoid contamination of parts for planetary protection) |
| DLA | Defence Logistics Agency (US radiation effects agency) |
| DLI | Dual Layer Insulation (thermal protection) |
| DoF | Degrees of Freedom |
| DPA | Destructive Parts Analysis |
| DSRS | Dundee Satellite Receiving Station |
| DUT | Device Under Test |
| EAL | European Astrotech Ltd |
| ECIT | Institute of Electronics, Communications and Information Technology (at QUB) |
| ECR | Electron Cyclotron Resonance (thruster) |
| ECSAT | European Centre for Space Applications and Telecommunications (Harwell) |
| EDM | Electrical Discharge Machining |
| EDS | Electron Dispersion Spectrometry |
| EEE | Electrical, Electronic and Electro-mechanical (parts or components) |
| EGSE | Electrical Ground Support Equipment |
| EM | Engineering Model (of a satellite subsystem or instrument) |
| EMC | Electro-Magnetic Compatibility |
| EO | Earth Observation |
| EOCF | Earth Observation Characterisation Facility (Imperial College) |
| EOS | Electro-Optic Sampling |
| EP | Electric Propulsion |
| ESA | European Space Agency |
| ESD | Electro-Static Discharge |
| ESR Technology | Engineering, Safety and Risks (originally of UKAEA) space tribology company |
| ESRF | European Synchrotron Radiation Facility (Grenoble) |
| ESS | Environmental Stress Screening |
| ESTEC | European Space Technology Centre |
| ESTL | European Space Tribology Laboratory (within ESR Technology Ltd) |
| ESQ | Early Stage Qualification |
| EU | European Union |
| EUT | Experiment Under Test |
| FDIR | Fault Detection, Isolation and Recovery |
| FEA | Finite Element Analysis |
| FIR | Far Infra-Red |
| FM | Flight Model (of a satellite subsystem or instrument) |
| FPGA | Field-Programmable Gate Array (microchip) |
| FSS | Frequency Selective Surface (tuneable antenna) |
| FTIR | Fourier Transfer Infra-Red (spectroscopy) |
| FWHM | Full Width Half Maximum |
| GEO | Geostationary Earth Orbit |
| GFRP | Glass-Fibre Reinforced Plastic |
| GMP | Geostationary Mini-satellite Platform (of SSTL) |
| GNSS | Global Navigation Satellite System |
| GSE | Ground Support Equipment |
| GSTP | General Support Technology Programme (of ESA) |
| GTRC | Gas Turbine Research Centre (Cardiff Univ) |
| HCT | Hollow Cathode Thruster (EP) |
| HDLT | Helicon Double Layer Thruster (EP) |
| HEPA | High Efficiency Particulate Air (filter for cleanrooms) |
| HPA | High Power Amplifier |
| HRAF | Harwell Robotics and Autonomy Facility |
| HPOC | High Pressure Optical Chamber |
| HSE | Health and Safety Executive |
| HTP | High-Test Peroxide (high concentration peroxide rocket fuel) |
| HTPB | Hydroxyl-Terminated Poly-Butadiene (rocket fuel) |
| IGS | Innovation and Growth Strategy |
| ILL | Institut Laue Langevin (neutron research in Grenoble) |
| IMDG | International Maritime Dangerous Goods (code) |
| IP | Intellectual Property |
| IR | Infra-Red |
| ISP | International Space Propulsion |
| ISVR | Institute of Sound and Vibration Research (Univ of Southampton) |
| ITAR | International Traffic in Arms Regulations |
| IUT | Item Under Test |
| JAXA | Japan Aerospace eXploration Agency |
| JUICE | JUpiter ICy moons Explorer (ESA mission) |
| JWST | James Webb Space Telescope |
| KERMA | Kinetic Energy Released per unit MAss (radiation dosimetry) |
| LDA | Large Deployable Antenna |
| LDA | Laser Doppler Anemometry |
| LEAF | Large European Acoustic Facility (ESTEC) |
| LEEP | Large European Electric Propulsion (chamber) |
| LEO | Low Earth Orbit |
| LIDAR | Light Imaging Detection And Ranging (distance measurements) |
| LMSCC | Lockheed Martin Space Systems Company |
| LN2 | Liquid Nitrogen |
| LOX | Liquid OXygen |
| LPDA | Log Periodic Dipole Antenna |
| MAIT | Manufacture, Assembly, Integration and Test |
| MEMS | Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems |
| MEO | Medium Eccentric Orbit |
| MGSE | Mechanical Ground Support Equipment |
| MLI | Multi-layer insulation |
| MMIC | Monolithic Microwave Integrated Circuit |
| MSF | Molecular Spectroscopy Facility (at RAL) |
| MSL | Mars Space Ltd (Southampton EP company) |
| MSSL | Mullard Space Science Laboratory (of UCL) |
| MWIR | Medium Wavelength InfraRed |
| NASA | National Aeronautics & Space Administration |
| NDT | Non-Destructive Testing |
| NF | Near Field (antenna) |
| NIACE | Northern Ireland Advanced Composites and Engineering Centre, Belfast |
| NOX | Nitric Oxides (various) |
| NPL | National Physical Laboratory |
| OBDH | On-Board Data Handling |
| OGSE | Optical Ground Support Equipment |
| OSS | Oxford Space Systems |
| OU | Open University |
| PCB | Printed Circuit Board |
| PDA | Phase Doppler Anemometry |
| PDF | Precision Development Facility (at RAL) |
| PEEK | Poly-Ether Ether Ketone |
| PIM | Passive Inter-Modulation (RF testing) |
| PIV | Phase-resolved particle Imaging Velocimetry |
| PMP | Parts, Materials and Process (management) |
| PPT | Pulsed Plasma Thruster |
| PRF | Pulse Repetition Frequency |
| PSD | Power Spectral Density |
| PVD | Physical Vapour Deposition |
| QAMEC | Queen's Advanced Micro-Engineering Centre (QUB) |
| QCM | Quartz Crystal Micro-balance (thruster measurement) |
| QCT | Quad-Confinement Thruster (EP) |
| QUB | Queen's University Belfast |
| RAL | Rutherford Appleton Laboratory |
| R&D | Research and Development |
| RAM | Resonant Acoustic Mixing (of solid rocket propellant) |
| RAM | RF Absorber Material |
| R&T | Research and Technology |
| REACH | Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and restriction of CHemicals |
| REF 2014 | 2014 Research Excellence Framework (university research ranking) |
| REL | Reaction Engines Ltd |
| RF | Radio Frequency |
| RGA | Residual Gas Analyser |
| ROE | Royal Observatory Edinburgh |
| SABRE | Synergetic Air-Breathing Rocket Engine |
| SADM | Solar Array Drive Mechanism |
| SAR | Synthetic Aperture Radar |
| SCAPA | Scottish Centre for the Application of Plasma-based Accelerators |
| SEL | Single Event Latch-up |
| SEM | Scanning Electron Microscopy |
| SEU | Single Event Upset |
| SLM | Selective Laser Melting (manufacturing) |
| SME | Small & Medium Enterprise |
| SRC | Space Research Centre (Univ of Leicester) |
| SRS | Shock Response Spectrum |
| SSC | Surrey Space Centre (of Univ of Surrey) |
| SSD | Source to Surface Distance (radiation testing) |
| SSTL | Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd |
| STEM | Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (teaching) |
| STFC | Science and Technology Facilities Council |
| TAS-UK | Thales Alenia Space – UK part |
| TDS | Time Domain Spectroscopy |
| TID | Total Ionising Dose (of radiation) |
| TQCM | Total Quantity of Condensable Material |
| TRL | Technology Readiness Level |
| TVAC | Thermal VACuum |
| TVC | Thrust Vector Control (of rocket engine) |
| TWI Technology | The Welding Institute Technology Centre (materials joining technology) |
| UAV | Unmanned Aerial Vehicle |
| UHF | Ultra-High Frequency |
| UKAS | UK Accreditation Service |
| UKSA | UK Space Agency |
| USW | University of South Wales (Newport) |
| UTIAS-SFL | University of Toronto Institute for Aerospace Studies – Space Flight Laboratory |
| VHF | Very High Frequency |
| VHM | Vector Helium Magnetometer |
| VLWIR | Very Long Wavelength Infra-Red |
| VNA | Vector Network Analyser |
| XRF | X-Ray Fluorescence
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