Acronyms/Glossary

ARC Ames Research Center (Mountain View, CA)
Astrobiology The study of the living universe. This field provides a scientific foundation for a multidisciplinary study of (1) the origin and distribution of life in the universe, (2) an understanding of the role of gravity in living systems, and (3) the study of the Earth's atmospheres and ecosystems.
Astro Materials The natural, nonbiological materials that constitute the solid bodies of the solar system other than the Earth, including planets, satellites, asteroids, comets, and dust. These materials may be studied in situ in their place of origin, collected by space missions for return to Earth, or brought to Earth by natural phenomena (meteorites, cosmic dust).
Commercial Technology Office Each Commercial Technology Office is responsible for facilitating the commercialization of its Field Center's technology with industry.
DFRC Dryden Flight Research Center (Edwards, CA)
DoD Department of Defense
El Niño A climate disturbance occurring every 2 to 5 years in the Pacific Ocean; a region of warm water forms in the western Pacific and moves toward South America, altering weather and rainfall patterns, wind directions, and even the jet stream. El Ni–o events contribute to floods and droughts in the Americas, Africa, and Australia.
FAA Federal Aviation Administration
GEO Geosynchronous Earth Orbit
Global Change The full range of natural and human-induced changes in the Earth's environment, including alterations in climate, land productivity, oceans or other water resources, atmospheric chemistry, and ecological systems. These changes may alter the capacity of the Earth to sustain life.
GPRA Government Performance and Results Act
GSFC Goddard Space Flight Center (Greenbelt, MD)
HEDS Human Exploration and Development of Space
Highway in the Sky The combination of satellite-based guidance and navigation systems and sensor/information technologies that will enable the debut of "highways" in the sky. Essentially, these "skyways" would appear in the cockpit display of an aircraft as actual paths in the sky, and individual aircraft pilots would be able to choose their own flight paths within the boundaries of these paths, much as today's automobile driver does on the highway. Such a capability could be a major factor in revitalizing the general aviation aircraft market, approximating a "personal transportation" concept for low-cost flight.
HSCT High Speed Civil Transport
Human-Rated The designing of piloted vehicle systems in such a manner as to safely accommodate humans and to make use of human-inherent capabilities. This ensures the greatest possible probability of a successful mission.
ISRU In Situ Resource Utilization
JPL Jet Propulsion Laboratory (Pasadena, CA)
JSC Johnson Space Center (Houston, TX)
KSC Kennedy Space Center (Kennedy Space Center, FL)
LaRC Langley Research Center (Hampton, VA)
LEO Low-Earth Orbit
LeRC Lewis Research Center (Cleveland, OH)
Microgravity Science The identification and description of the effects of reduced gravitational forces on physical and chemical phenomena. Microgravity research probes a new parameter in space where gravitational acceleration is no longer equal to Earth's gravity and, instead, can approach values that are orders of magnitude lower.
Mir Russian space station
MSFC Marshall Space Flight Center (Huntsville, AL)
MTPE Mission to Planet Earth
NASA HQ National Aeronautics and Space Administration Headquarters (Washington, DC)
R&D Research and Development
RLV Reusable Launch Vehicle
Smart Aircraft Characterized by technologies for "smart structures" and "smart surfaces." Health-monitoring systems in power plants and structures will enable the prediction of pending failures. Other systems will enable the real-time identification and characterization of problems with control systems and other flight parameters, as well as real-time system reconfiguration to enable continued operability.
Space Act National Aeronautics and Space Act of 1958
SSC Stennis Space Center (Stennis Space Center, MS)
STE Space Technology Enterprise

ARC	Ames Research Center (Mountain View, CA)
Astrobiology	The study of the living universe. This field provides a scientific foundation for a multidisciplinary study of (1) the origin and distribution of life in the universe, (2) an understanding of the role of gravity in living systems, and (3) the study of the Earth's atmospheres and ecosystems.
Astro Materials	The natural, nonbiological materials that constitute the solid bodies of the solar system other than the Earth, including planets, satellites, asteroids, comets, and dust. These materials may be studied in situ in their place of origin, collected by space missions for return to Earth, or brought to Earth by natural phenomena (meteorites, cosmic dust).
Commercial Technology Office	Each Commercial Technology Office is responsible for facilitating the commercialization of its Field Center's technology with industry.
DFRC	Dryden Flight Research Center (Edwards, CA)
DoD	Department of Defense
El Niño	A climate disturbance occurring every 2 to 5 years in the Pacific Ocean; a region of warm water forms in the western Pacific and moves toward South America, altering weather and rainfall patterns, wind directions, and even the jet stream. El Ni–o events contribute to floods and droughts in the Americas, Africa, and Australia.
FAA	Federal Aviation Administration
GEO	Geosynchronous Earth Orbit
Global Change	The full range of natural and human-induced changes in the Earth's environment, including alterations in climate, land productivity, oceans or other water resources, atmospheric chemistry, and ecological systems. These changes may alter the capacity of the Earth to sustain life.
GPRA	Government Performance and Results Act
GSFC	Goddard Space Flight Center (Greenbelt, MD)
HEDS	Human Exploration and Development of Space
Highway in the Sky	The combination of satellite-based guidance and navigation systems and sensor/information technologies that will enable the debut of "highways" in the sky. Essentially, these "skyways" would appear in the cockpit display of an aircraft as actual paths in the sky, and individual aircraft pilots would be able to choose their own flight paths within the boundaries of these paths, much as today's automobile driver does on the highway. Such a capability could be a major factor in revitalizing the general aviation aircraft market, approximating a "personal transportation" concept for low-cost flight.
HSCT	High Speed Civil Transport
Human-Rated	The designing of piloted vehicle systems in such a manner as to safely accommodate humans and to make use of human-inherent capabilities. This ensures the greatest possible probability of a successful mission.
ISRU	In Situ Resource Utilization
JPL	Jet Propulsion Laboratory (Pasadena, CA)
JSC	Johnson Space Center (Houston, TX)
KSC	Kennedy Space Center (Kennedy Space Center, FL)
LaRC	Langley Research Center (Hampton, VA)
LEO	Low-Earth Orbit
LeRC	Lewis Research Center (Cleveland, OH)
Microgravity Science	The identification and description of the effects of reduced gravitational forces on physical and chemical phenomena. Microgravity research probes a new parameter in space where gravitational acceleration is no longer equal to Earth's gravity and, instead, can approach values that are orders of magnitude lower.
Mir	Russian space station
MSFC	Marshall Space Flight Center (Huntsville, AL)
MTPE	Mission to Planet Earth
NASA HQ	National Aeronautics and Space Administration Headquarters (Washington, DC)
R&D	Research and Development
RLV	Reusable Launch Vehicle
Smart Aircraft	Characterized by technologies for "smart structures" and "smart surfaces." Health-monitoring systems in power plants and structures will enable the prediction of pending failures. Other systems will enable the real-time identification and characterization of problems with control systems and other flight parameters, as well as real-time system reconfiguration to enable continued operability.
Space Act	National Aeronautics and Space Act of 1958
SSC	Stennis Space Center (Stennis Space Center, MS)
STE	Space Technology Enterprise