by Gurbir Singh
ARIES
Aryabhatta Research Institute for Observational Sciences
ASAT
Anti-satellite
ASI
Astronomical Society of India
ASS
Aligarh Scientific Society
ATM
Automatic Teller Machine
BARC
Bhabha Atomic Research Centre
BNCSR
British National Committee for Space Research
C1XS
Chandrayaan-1 X-ray Spectrometer
C4ISR
Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance
Cartosat
Satellite for Cartographic Applications
CCD
Charge-Coupled Device
CCSDS
Consultative Committee for Space Data Systems
CCSRC
Commonwealth Consultative Space Research Committee
CD
Conference on Disarmament
CE
Cryogenic Engine
CERN
European Centre for Nuclear Research
CES
Crew Escape System
CHACE
Chandra’s Altitudinal Composition Explorer (a neutral mass spectrometer)
CLGS
Closed Loop Guidance System
CNES
Centre national d’études spatiales (National Centre for Space Studies, France)
CNSA
China National Space Administration
COPUOS
Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space
COSPAR
Committee on Space Research
COTS
Commercial off-the-shelf
CPM
Charge Particle Monitor
CSIR
Council of Scientific and Industrial Research
CUS
Cryogenic Upper Stage
CZTI
Cadmium Zinc Telluride Imager
DAE
Department of Atomic Energy
DFRL
Defence Food Research Laboratory
DOS
Department of Space
DMR
Dual Mode Ramjet
DRDO
Defence Research and Development Organisation
DSN
Deep Space Network
DTH
Direct-to-Home
ECIL
The Electronics Corporation of India Ltd
EDUSAT
Educational Satellite
EEJ
Equatorial ElectroJet
EGC
Engine Gimbaling Control
ELDO
European Launcher Development Organisation
ENMOD
Convention on the Prohibition of Military or Any Other Hostile Use of Environmental Modification Techniques
EO
Earth Observation
EOSAT
Earth Observation Satellite Company
EPS
Electric Propulsion System
ESA
European Space Agency
ESCES
Experimental Satellite Communication Earth Station
EU
European Union
FAA
Federal Aviation Administration
FAC
Failure Analysis Committee
FCC
Filling Control Centre
FEA
Free Enterprise Act
FLP
First Launch Pad
FUV/NUV
Far Ultra Violet / Near Ultra Violet
FYP
Five Year Plan
GAGAN
GPS Aided Geo Augmented Navigation
GEO
Geostationary Earth Orbit
GEOSAR
Geostationary Search and Rescue
GNSS
Global Navigation Satellite System
GPS
Global Positioning System
GSAT
Geosynchronous Satellite
GSLV
Geosynchronous Launch Vehicle
GSO
Geosynchronous Orbit
GTO
Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit
GTS
Great Trigonometrical Survey
HAL
Hindustan Aeronautics Limited
HEF-20
High Energy Fuel
HLV
Heavy-lift Launch Vehicle
HSF
Human Spaceflight
HTPB
Hydroxyl-terminated Polybutadiene
HySI
Hyper Spectral Imager
IACS
Indian Association for the Cultivation of Science
IADC
Inter-Agency Debris Coordination Committee
IAF
Indian Air Force
ICAO
International Civil Aviation Organisation
ICSU
International Council for Scientific Unions
ICT
Information and Communication Technology
IDSA
Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses
IDSN
Indian Deep Space Network
IGMDP
Integrated Guided Missile Development Programme
IGY
International Geophysical Year
IIRS
Indian Institute of Remote Sensing
IISc
Indian Institute of Science
IIST
Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology
IIT
Indian Institute of Technology
INC
ISRO Navigation Centre
INCOSPAR
Indian National Committee for Space Research
INMCC
Indian Master Control Centres
INSAT
Indian National Satellite System
IPRC
ISRO Propulsion Complex
IQSY
International Quiet Sun Years
IRNSS
Indian Regional Navigational Satellite System
ISAC
ISRO Satellite Centre
ISITE
ISRO Satellite Integration and Test Establishment
ISON
International Scientific Optical Network
ISRO
Indian Space Research Organisation
ISS
International Space Station
IST
Indian Standard Time
ISTRAC
ISRO Telemetry, Tracking and Command Network
ITAR
International Trade in Arms Regulation
IYAS
International Years of the Active Sun
JAXA
Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency
JPL
Jet Propulsion Laboratory
LAM
Liquid Apogee Motor
LAP
Lyman Alpha Photometer
LAXPC
Large Area Xenon Proportional Counter
LEO
Low Earth Orbit
LEOS
Laboratory for Electro-Optic Systems
LEOSAR
Low Earth Orbit Search and Rescue
LH2
Liquid Hydrogen
LIDAR
Light Detection and Ranging
Li-Ion
Lithium-Ion
LISS
Linear Imaging Self Scanner
LLRI
Lunar Laser Ranging Instrument
LOX
Liquid Oxygen
LPSC
Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre
LUT
Local User Terminal
LVM3-X/CARE
Crew Module Atmospheric Re-entry Experiment
M3
Moon Mineralogy Mapper
MCC
Mission Control Centre
MCF
Master Control Facility
MENCA
Mars Exospheric Neutral Composition Analyser
Mini-SAR
Miniature Synthetic Aperture Radar
MIP
Moon Impact Probe
MIT
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
MLP
Mobile Launch Pedestal
MMH
Monomethyl Hydrazine
MOM
Mars Orbiter Mission
MON
Mixed Oxides of Nitrogen
MoU
Memorandum of Understanding
MSM
Methane Sensor for Mars
MSS
Mobile Satellite Service
MST
Mobile Service Tower
MTCR
Missile Technology Control Regime
NARL
National Atmospheric Research Laboratory
NASA
National Aeronautics and Space Administration
NGC
New General Catalogue
NGO
Non-Governmental Organisation
NNRMS
National Natural Resources Management System
NOAA
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
NPL
National Physical Laboratory
NRSA
National Remote Sensing Agency
NRSC
National Remote Sensing Centre
OST
Outer Space Treaty
PAROS
Prevention of an Arms Race in Outer Space
PBAN
Polybutadiene Acrylonitrile
PSDS
Planetary Data Standard
PPWT
Treaty on the Prevention of the Placement of Weapons in Outer Space and the Threat or Use of Force Against Outer Space Objects
PRL
Physical Research Laboratory
PROCAD
Precise Orbit Computation using Accelerometer Data
PSLV
Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle
R&D
Research and Development
RADOM
Radiation Dose Monitor
RCS
Reaction Control System
Resourcesat
Satellite for Resources Management
RESPOND
Sponsored Research
RFNA
Red Fuming Nitric Acid
RISAT
Radar Imaging Satellite
RLV
Reusable Launch Vehicle
RLV-TD
Reusable Launch Vehicle Technology Demonstrator
RRI
Raman Research Institute
RS
Restricted Service
SAA
South Atlantic Anomaly
SAARC
South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation
SAC
Space Applications Centre
SAC
Space Application Centre
SAR
Synthetic Aperture Radar
SARA
Sub keV Atom Reflecting Analyser
SARAL
Satellite with ARGOS and ALTIKA
SATNAV
Satellite Navigation
SBAS
Satellite-Based Augmentation System
SDSC
Satish Dhawan Space Centre
SEP
Société Européenne de Propulsion
SIR-2
Near-Infrared Spectrometer
SITE
Satellite Instructional Television Experiment
SITVC
Secondary Injection Thrust Vector Control
SLP
Second Launch Pad
SLR
Satellite Laser Ranging
SNEPP
Subterranean Nuclear Explosion for Peaceful Purposes
SPROB
Solid Propellant Booster Plant
SPT
Stationary Plasma Thrusters
SPS
Standard Positioning Service
SRE
Space Capsule Recovery Experiment
SROSS
Stretched Rohini Satellite Series
SSAB
Solid Stage Assembly Building
SSM
Scanning Sky Monitor
SSN
Space Surveillance Network
SSO
Sun-synchronous Orbit
SSPO
Sun-synchronous Polar Orbit
SSTO
Single Stage to Orbit
SSR
Solid State Recorder
STEP
Satellite Telecommunications Experiments Project
SUPARCO
Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission
SVAB
Second Vehicle Assembly Building
SXT
Soft X-Ray Telescope
TCM
Trajectory Control Manoeuvres
TEC
Total Electron Content
TERLS
Thumba Equatorial Rocket Launching Station
TES
Technology Experiment Satellite
TIFR
Tata Institute of Fundamental Research
TIS
Thermal Imaging Spectrometer
TMC
Terrain Mapping Camera
TSTO
Two-Stage-to-Orbit
TT&C
Telemetry, Tracking and Command
UDMH
Unsymmetrical Dimethylhydrazine
UHF
Ultra-High Frequency
ULV
Unified Launch Vehicle
UN
United Nations
UNGA
United Nations General Assembly
US/USA
United States of America
USSR
Union of Soviet Socialist Republics
UTC
Coordinated Universal Time
UVIT
Ultraviolet Imaging Telescope
VAB
Vehicle Assembly Building
VHF
Very High Frequency
VHRR
Very High-Resolution Radiometer
VRC
Village Resource Centre
VSAT
Very Small Aperture Terminal
VSSC
Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre
List of Interviews
Dr M.Y.S. Prasad. Director of Sriharikota. Sriharikota 15/01/2015. Interview at Sriharikota on operations at Satish Dhawan Space Centre. He was a member of the UN’s Interagency Space Debris Coordination committee.
Professor Mustansir Barma. Former Director of TIFR Mumbai 5/01/2016. Interview at TIFR in Mumbai on the history of TIFR, Homi Bhabha and the deep connections between ISRO and TIFR.
S.K. Shivakumar. Director of ISAC. Bangalore 26/03/2014. Interview at ISAC in Bangalore on the evolution of Indian Deep Space Network.
Dr Mylswamy Annadurai. Mars Orbiter Mission Programme Director. Bangalore 26/03/2014. Interview at ISAC in Bangalore on Chandrayaan-1and the Mars Orbiter Mission.
Sundaram Ramakrishnan. Director of VSSC. Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala 21/08/2013. Interview at VSSC in Thiruvananthapuram on the development of ISRO’s launch vehicles.
Professor U.R. Rao. Former Chairman of ISRO. Bangalore 6/03/2013. Interview at ISRO headquarters in Bangalore on Professor Rao’s role in the development of India’s first satellite and ISRO satellite programme.
Amrita Shah. Author and Vikram Sarabhai’s biographer. IISc Bangalore 24/08/2013. Interview at IISc in Bangalore on the life and legacy of Vikram Sarabhai.
Reg Turnill. Former BBC Journalist. Kent, UK 3/11/2011. Telephone interview in London, UK, on the German rocket scientist Wernher von Braun.
Al Worden Apollo15 Command Module Pilot. Michigan, USA 3/9/2014. Telephone interview in Michigan, USA, on the space programmes of China and India and Worden’s recollect
ions of photographing the crater on the Moon called Sarabhai.
P. Radhakrishnan. ISRO Scientist. Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala 9/9/2013. Telephone interview in Thiruvananthapuram on P. Radhakrishnan’s recollections as one of the two ISRO scientists selected to fly aboard the Space Shuttle.
