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Master List of Names, Acronyms,
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Master List of Names, Acronyms,
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Below is a master list of the names, acronyms, initialisms, and abbreviations associated with the un-manned satellites that are mentioned in this Website. Each satellite name is associated with a discipline/category which links to the page where the satellite (or satellites in that series) is (are) found. Individual satellites or satellite series are linked to satellite-specific pages when available.
Although not all shortened satellite names are acronyms, the term "acronym" is often used to cover all three types of compound terms.
| Satellite Acronym (Other Names) | Satellite Name | Discipline/Category |
|---|---|---|
| A-1 | Asterix | scientific |
| ACE (Explorer-71) | Advanced Composition Explorer | scientific |
| Acrimsat | Active Cavity Radiometer Irradiance Monitor SATellite | scientific |
| ACTS [Discovery-launched] | Advanced Communications Test Satellite | communications |
| ADEOS (Midori) | ADvanced Earth Observing Satellite | environmental |
| ADE (Explorer-19/24/39) | Atmospheric Dynamics Explorer | scientific |
| AE (Explorer-17/32/51/54/55) | Atmospheric Explorer | scientific |
| AEM (Explorer-58/60) | Applications Explorer Mission | scientific |
| AIMP (Explorer-33/35) | Anchored Interplanetery Monitoring Platform | scientific |
| AIM (Explorer-90) | Aeronomy of Ice in the Mesosphere | scientific |
| ALEXIS | Array of Low-Energy X-ray Imaging Sensors | astronomy |
| ALOS (Daichi) | Advanced Land Observing Satellite | environmental |
| Alsat | ALgeria SATellite | environmental |
| AMOS | Affordable Modular Optimized Satellite | communications |
| AMPTE (Explorer-65) | Active Magnetospheric Particle Tracer Explorer (CCE, IRM, and UKS) | scientific |
| AMS (DMSP) | Advanced Meteorological Satellite | military |
| Amsat (OSCAR) | AMateur SATellite | amateur |
| ANNA | Army, Navy, NASA, and Air Force (joint satellite) | navigation |
| ANS | Astronomical Netherlands Satellite | astronomy |
| AOSO [canceled] | Advanced Orbiting Solar Observatory | scientific |
| APPLE | Ariane Passenger PayLoad Experiment (geo test communication satellite) | communications |
| APStar | Asia Pacific STAR | communications |
| APT [not a satellite] | Automatic Picture Transmission | APT |
| Arabsat [Arabsat-1B was Discovery-launched] | ARABian SATellite | communications |
| ARCAD (Aureole / Oreol) | ARCtic Aurora Density | scientific |
| ARGOS | Advanced Research Global Observation Satellite | astronomy |
| ASC [ASC-1 was Discovery-launched] | American Satellite Company | communications |
| ASCA (Asuka / Astro-D) | Advanced Satellite for Cosmology and Astronomy | astronomy |
| AsiaSat | ASIA SATellite | communications |
| ASSET | Aerothermodynamic-elastic Structural Systems Environmental Tests | scientific |
| ATN | Advanced TIROS-N | polar-weather |
| ATS | Application Technology Satellite | geostationary-weather |
| Aussat (Optus) [Aussat-A1 and A2 were Shuttle-launched] | AUStralian communications SATellite | communications |
| AXAF (CXO) [Columbia-launched] | Advanced X-ray Astrophysics Facility | astronomy |
| BE (Explorer-S66/22/27) | Beacon Explorer | scientific |
| Biosatellite (Biosat) | BIOlogical SATELLITE | scientific |
| Bremsat [Discovery-launched] | university of BREMen SATellite | scientific |
| BS (Yuri) | Broadcasting Satellite | communications |
| BSAT (Yuri) | Broadcasting SATellite | communications |
| BSE (Yuri) | Broadcasting Satellite Experimental | communications |
| CALIPSO | Cloud-Aerosol Lidar and Infrared Pathfinder Satellite Observation | environmental |
| CAS (Eole) | Cooperative Applications Satellite | scientific |
| CBERS (ZY-1) | China (PRC) Brazil Earth Resources Satellite | environmental |
| CCE (AMPTE / Explorer-65) | Charge Composition Explorer | scientific |
| CEP | Cylindrical Electrostatic Probe | scientific |
| CGRO [Atlantis-launched] | Compton Gamma Ray Observatory | astronomy |
| ChinaSat | CHINA (PRC) SATellite | communications |
| CHIPSat (Explorer-82 / UNEX-1) | Cosmic Hot Interstellar Plasma Spectrometer satellite | scientific |
| CloudSat | CLOUD SATellite | environmental |
| COBE (Explorer-66) | COsmic Background Explorer | scientific |
| Comstar | COMmunications STAR | communications |
| Contour | COmet Nucleus TOUR | cometary |
| CORSA-B (Hakucho) | COsmic Radiation SAtellite | military |
| CORONAS (KORONAS) | Comprehensive ORbital Near-earth Observations of the Active Sun | scientific |
| COROT | COnvection ROtation and planetary Transit | astronomy |
| COS | COsmic ray Satellite | scientific |
| COSMIC (Formosat-3 / Rocsat-3) | Constellation Observing System for Meteorology, Ionosphere and Climate | scientific |
| COSPAS (KOSPAS, SARSAT) | COsmicheskaya Sistyema Poiska Avariynich Sudov (Space System for the Search of Vessels in Distress) | COSPAS/SARSAT |
| CR (China Resource / ZY-2) | China (PRC) earth Resources Satellite | environmental |
| CRAF [canceled] | Comet Rendezvous and Asteroid Flyby | cometary |
| CRRES | Combined Release and Radiation Effects Satellite | scientific |
| CryoSat | CRYOgenic SATellite | scientific |
| CS (Sakura) | Communications Satellite | communications |
| CTS (Hermes) | Communications Technology Satellite | communications |
| CXO (AXAF) [Columbia-launched] | Chandra X-ray Observatory | astronomy |
| D-series | Diapason or Diademe | scientific |
| DAD (DADE) | Dual Air Density (Explorer) | scientific |
| DASH | Density And Scale Height | military |
| DE (Explorer-62/63) | Dynamics Explorer | scientific |
| DEBUT (Orizuru) | DEployable Boom and Umbrella Test | scientific |
| DFH | Dong Fang Hong | communications |
| DFS (Kopernikus) | Deutscher Fernmelde Satellit | communications |
| DME (Explorer-31) | Direct Measurements Explorer | scientific |
| DMSP (AMS, USA) | Defense Meteorological Satellite Program | military |
| DODGE | Department Of Defense Gravity Experiment | military |
| DS | Deep Space | cometary |
| DSCS [DSCS-3-03/04 (USA-11/12) were Atlantis-launched] | Defense Satellite Communications System | communications |
| DSP (USA) [DSP-16 was Atlantis-launched] | Defense Support Program | military |
| Echostar | ECHO STAR | communications |
| ECS (Eutelsat) | European Communications Satellite | communications |
| ECS (Ayame) | Experimental Communications Satellite | communications |
| EGP (EGS / Ajisai) | Experimental Geodetic Payload | scientific |
| EGRS (SECOR) | Electronic and Geodetic Ranging Satellite | navigation |
| EGS (EGP / Ajisai) | Experimental Geodetic Satellite | scientific |
| Envisat | ENVIronment SATellite | environmental |
| EO | Earth Observing | environmental |
| EOS (Aqua, Terra, Aura) | Earth Observing System | environmental |
| EPE (Explorer-12/14/15/26) | Electrostatic Particle Explorer | scientific |
| ERBS [Challenger-launched] | Earth Radiation Budget Satellite | environmental |
| EROS | Earth Remote Observation System | environmental |
| ERS (U.S. version: ORS / TRS) | Environmental Research Satellite | military |
| ERS (ESA version) | European Remote Sensing satellite | environmental |
| ERTS (Landsat) | Earth Resources Technology Satellite | environmental |
| ESA (-GEOS) | European Space Agency | scientific |
| ESRO (ESA in 1973) | European Space Research Organization | scientific |
| ESSA | Environmental Science Services Administration | polar-weather |
| ETS (Kiku) | Engineering Test Satellite | scientific |
| Eureca [Atlantis-launched, Endeavour-retrieved] | EUropean REtrievable CArrier | scientific |
| Eutelsat (ECS) | EUropean TELecommunications SATellite | communications |
| EUVE (Explorer-67) | Extreme UltraViolet Explorer | scientific |
| EXOS (Akebono, Jikiken, Kyokko, and Ohzora) | EXOspheric Satellite | scientific |
| EXOSAT | European X-ray Observatory SATellite | scientific |
| FAST (Explorer-70 / SMEX) | Fast Auroral SnapshoT explorer | scientific |
| FltSatCom | FLeeT SATellite COMmunications | communications |
| Formosat (Rocsat) | FORMOsa SATellite | environmental |
| FR-1 | FRance | scientific |
| FSW (recoverable satellite) | Fanhui Shijan Weixing | scientific |
| FUSE (Explorer-77 / MIDEX) | Far-Ultraviolet Spectroscopic Explorer | scientific |
| FY-1 and 3 FY-2 and 4 | Feng Yun | polar-weather geostationary-weather |
| GALEX (Explorer-83 / SMEX) | GALaxy evolution EXplorer | scientific |
| GeoEye (OrbView-5) | Geo??? Eye | environmental |
| GEOS (ESA version) | Geostationary Earth Orbit Satellite | scientific |
| GEOS (U.S. version: Explorer-29/36) | Geodetic Earth Orbiting Satellite (GEOS-1 and 2) Geodynamics Experimental Ocean Satellite (GEOS-3) | scientific |
| Geosat | GEOdetic SATellite | scientific |
| Geotail (GTL) | GEOmagnetic TAIL lab | scientific |
| GFO | Geosat Follow On | scientific |
| GGTS | Gravity Gradient Test Satellite | scientific |
| GIOVE (GSTB) | Galileo In-Orbit Validation Experiment | navigation |
| GLOMR [Challenger-launched] | Global Low Orbiting Message Relay | scientific |
| GLONASS | GLObalnaya NAvigationnaya Sputnikovaya Sistema | navigation |
| GMS (Himawari) | Geostationary Meteorological Satellite | geostationary-weather |
| GOES (SMS) | Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite | geostationary-weather |
| GOMS (Elektro) | Geostationary Operational Meteorological Satellite | geostationary-weather |
| GP | Gravity Probe | scientific |
| GPS (Navstar) | Global Positioning System satellite | navigation |
| GRAB (GREB / SolRad / Explorer-30/37/44) | Galactic Radiation And Background | scientific |
| GRACE | Gravity Recovery And Climate Experiment | scientific |
| GREB (GRAB / SolRad / Explorer-30/37/44) | Galactic Radiation Energy Background | scientific |
| GRS (Azur) | German Research Satellite | scientific |
| GRS | Geophysical Research Satellite | scientific |
| GSTB (GIOVE) | Galileo System Test Bed | navigation |
| GTL (Geotail) | Geomagnetic Tail Lab | scientific |
| HALCA (Haruka / Muses-B) | Highly Advanced Laboratory for Communications and Astronomy | planetary/lunar |
| HCMM (Explorer-58) | Heat Capacity Mapping Mission | scientific |
| HEAO (HEAO-2 / Einstein) | High-Energy Astronomical Observatory | astronomy |
| HEOS | Highly Eccentric Orbit Satellite | scientific |
| HESSI (Explorer-81 / SMEX) | High Energy Solar Spectroscopic Imager | scientific |
| HETE (HETE-2 / Explorer-79) | High Energy Transient Explorer | scientific |
| Hilat (P83-1) | HIgh LATitude research satellite | scientific |
| HJ | Huan Jing (environment) | environmental |
| Hotbird | HOT BIRD | communications |
| HST [Discovery-launched and Shuttle-repaired] | Hubble Space Telescope | astronomy |
| HY | Hai Yang (ocean) | environmental |
| ICE (ISEE / Explorer-59) | International Cometary Explorer | scientific |
| ICESat | Ice, Cloud, and land Elevation SATellite | scientific |
| IDCSP | Initial Defense Communication Satellite Program | communications |
| IE (Explorer-20/25/40/52) | Ionospheric Explorer | scientific |
| IMAGE (Explorer-78 / MIDEX) | Imager for Magnetopause-to-Aurora Global Exploration | scientific |
| IMEWS | Integrated Missile Early Warning Satellite | military |
| IMP (Explorer-18/21/28/34/41/43/47/50) | Interplanetary Monitoring Platform | scientific |
| Inmarsat | INternational Maritime SATellite organization | communications |
| Insat [Insat-1B was Challenger-launched] | Indian National SATellite | geostationary-weather |
| Intasat | Instituto Nacional de Tecnica Aerospacial (INTA) SATellite | scientific |
| INTEGRAL | INTErnational Gamma-Ray Astrophysics Laboratory | astronomy |
| Intelsat (Early-Bird / Blue-Bird / Lani-Bird / Canary-Bird) [Intelsat-6-F3 rocket-launched, Endeavour-repaired and re-launched] | INternational TELecommunications SATellite consortium | communications |
| IRAS | InfraRed Astronomy Satellite | astronomy |
| IRIS (Astro-F) | InfraRed Imaging Surveyor | astronomy |
| IRM (AMPTE / Explorer-65) | Ion Release Module | scientific |
| IRS | Indian Remote Sensing | polar-weather |
| ISEE (Explorer-56/59) | International Sun-Earth Explorer | scientific |
| ISIS | International Satellite for Ionospheric Studies | scientific |
| ISO | Infrared Space Observatory | astronomy |
| ISS (Ume) | Ionospheric Sounding Satellite | scientific |
| IUE (Explorer-57) | International Untraviolet Explorer | scientific |
| ITOS | Improved TIROS Operational Satellite | polar-weather |
| JAS (Fuji / OSCAR) | Japanese Amateur Satellite | amateur |
| JCSAT | Japanese Communications SATellite | communications |
| JERS (Fuyo) | Japanese Environmental Remote Sensing satellite | environmental |
| JWST (NGST) | James Webb Space Telescope | astronomy |
| KH (Discoverer, Corona, others) | Key Hole | military |
| Kompsat / Arirang | KOrean Multi-Purpose SATellite | environmental |
| KORONAS (CORONAS) | Comprehensive ORbital Near-earth Observations of the Active Sun | scientific |
| KOSPAS (COSPAS, SARSAT) | KOsmicheskaya Sistyema Poiska Avariynich Sudov (Space System for the Search of Vessels in Distress) | COSPAS/SARSAT |
| Landsat (ERTS) | LAND SATellite | environmental |
| LAGEOS [LAGEOS-2 was Columbia-launched] | LAser GEOdynamics Satellite | scientific |
| LDEF [Challenger-launched, Columbia-retrieved] | Long Duration Exposure Facility | scientific |
| Leasat (Syncom-4) [all five were Shuttle-launched] | LEAsed SATellite | communications |
| LES | Lincoln Experimental Satellite | military |
| LUSat | LU [prefix for radio amateurs in Argentina] SATellite | amateur |
| MABES (Jindai) | MAgnetic Bearing flywheel Experimental System | scientific |
| Magion | MAGnetospheric and IONospheric satellite | Russian |
| MagSat (Explorer-61) | MAGnetosphere SATellite | scientific |
| MAP (WMAP / Explorer-80 / MIDEX) | Microwave Anisotropy Probe | scientific |
| Marecs | MARitime European Communications Satellite | communications |
| Marisat | MARItime communications SATellite | communications |
| MAS (SRET) | Maliy Avtonomiy Sputnik (Russian acronym for 'Small Automatic Satellite') | scientific |
| MCO | Mars Climate Orbiter | planetary/lunar |
| MDS (Tsubasa) | Mission Demonstration Satellite | scientific |
| MEPSI | Micro Electro-mechanical systems-based PicoSat Inspector | scientific |
| MESSENGER | MErcury Surface, Space ENvironment, GEochemistry and Ranging | planetary/lunar |
| Meteosat | METEOrological SATellite | geostationary-weather |
| MetOp | METeorological OPerational | polar-weather |
| MetSat (Kalpana) | METeorological SATellite | geostationary-weather |
| MGS | Mars Global Surveyor | planetary/lunar |
| MIDAS | MIssile Defense Alarm System | military |
| MIDEX (Explorer-77/78/79/83/85-89) | Medium-class EXplorer | scientific |
| Mightysat-1 (P97-2) [Endeavour-launched] | MIGHTY SATellite | military |
| Mightysat-2 (P97-2, Sindri) | MIGHTY SATellite | military |
| Minisat | MINIature SATellite | astronomy |
| MOP | Meteosat Operational Program | geostationary-weather |
| MOS (Momo) | Marine Observation Satellite | environmental |
| MPE (Firewheel) | Max-Planck-Institut für Extraterrestrische physik | scientific |
| MPL | Mars Polar Lander | planetary/lunar |
| MRO | Mars Reconissance Orbiter | planetary/lunar |
| MSG | Meteosat Second Generation | geostationary-weather |
| MS-T (Tansei, Sakigake / Planet-prototype / Planet-A1) | cherry blossom | scientific cometary |
| MTI | Multi-spectral Thermal Imager | environmental |
| MTP | Meteosat Transition Program | geostationary-weather |
| MTS (Explorer-46) | Meteoroid Technology Satellite | scientific |
| MTSat (Himawari) | Multi-functional Transport SATellite | geostationary-weather |
| Navstar (GPS) | NAVigation STAR | navigation |
| NEAR | Near Earth Asteroid Rendezvous | planetary/lunar |
| NGST (JWST) | Next Generation Space Telescope | astronomy |
| NMP | New Millennium Program | polar-weather |
| NATO | North Atlantic Treaty Organization | communications |
| NOAA | National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration | polar-weather |
| NOSS (Whitecloud) | Navy Ocean Surveillance Satellite | military |
| NPOESS | National Polar-Orbiting Environmental Satellite System | polar-weather |
| NPP | NPOESS Preparatory Project | polar-weather |
| NTS | Navigation Technology Satellite | navigation |
| NUsat [amateur-built, Challenger-launched] | Northern Utah SATellite | scientific |
| OAO | Orbiting Astronomical Observatory | astronomy |
| Oceansat (IRS) | OCEAN SATellite | environmental |
| OCO | Orbiting Carbon Observatory | scientific |
| OGO (POGO) | Orbiting Geophysical Observatory | scientific |
| ORBIS | Orbiting Radio Beacon Ionospheric Satellite | military |
| OrbView | ORBital VIEW | environmental |
| ORS (ERS / TRS) | Octahedral Research Satellite | military |
| OSCAR (Amsat) | Orbiting Satellite Carrying Amateur Radio | amateur |
| OSO | Orbiting Solar Observatory | scientific |
| OSTM (Jason) | Ocean Surface Topography Mission | environmental |
| OT | Operational TIROS | polar-weather |
| OTS | Orbital Test Satellite | environmental |
| OV | Orbiting Vehicle | military |
| PAGEOS | PAssive Geodetic Earth Orbiting Satellite | scientific |
| PAMS-STU [Endeavour-launched] | Passive Aerodynamically-stabilized Magnetically-damped Satellite - Satellite Test Unit | scientific |
| Panamsat (PAS) | PAN-AMerican SATellite | communications |
| Pansat (OSCAR-34, PO-34) [Discovery-launched] | Petite Amateur Navy SATellite | amateur |
| PARASOL | Polarization and Anisotropy of Reflectances for Atmospheric Science coupled with Observations from a LIDAR | environmental |
| PAS (Panamsat) | Pan-American Satellite | communications |
| PegSat | PEGasus rocket-booster launched SATellite | scientific |
| Peole | Preliminary EOLE | scientific |
| PIX | Plasma Interaction eXperiment | scientific |
| PLA [not a satellite] | Picosat Launcher Assembly | scientific |
| POGO (OGO) | Polar Orbiting Geophysical Observatory | scientific |
| PRC (China) | People's Republic of China | scientific |
| PROBA | PRoject for On-Board Autonomy | scientific |
| P&FS [Apollo-launched] | Particle and Field Sub-satellite | scientific |
| QuickBird | QUICK BIRD | environmental |
| QuikScat | QUIcK SCATterometer | environmental |
| QuikTOMS | QUIcK TOMS (see TOMS below) | environmental |
| Radarsat | RADAR SATellite | environmental |
| RadCat | RADar CAlibration Target | scientific |
| RadSat (Pi-in-the-sky) | RADiation SATellite | scientific |
| RAE (Explorer-38/49) | Radio Astronomy Explorer | scientific |
| ResourceSat (IRS) | RESOURCE SATellite | environmental |
| REXS (Denpa) | Radiation EXperiments Satellite | scientific |
| RHESSI (Explorer-81 / SMEX) | Ramathy High Energy Solar Spectroscopic Imager | scientific |
| RM (Discoverer, Corona) | Research Module | military |
| Rocsat (Formosat) | Republic Of China (Taiwan) SATellite | environmental |
| Rosat | ROentgen SATellite | scientific |
| RS | Radio Sputnik / Radio Sport | anateur |
| RSS (Yaogan) | Remote Sensing Satellite | environmental |
| RXTE (XTE / Explorer-69) | Rossi X-ray Timing Explorer | scientific |
| SAC [SAC-A was Endeavour-launched] | Satellite de Aplicaciones Cientifico | environmental |
| SAGE (Explorer-60) | Stratospheric Aerosol and Gas Experiment | scientific |
| SAMOS | Satellite And Missile Observation Satellite | military |
| SAMPEX (Explorer-68 / SMEX) | Solar Anomalous Magnetospheric Particle EXplorer | scientific |
| SAR | Synthetic Aperture Radar | scientific |
| SARSAT (COSPAS, KOSPAS) | Search And Rescue Satellite-Aided Tracking | COSPAS/SARSAT |
| SAS (Explorer-42/48/53) | Small Astronomy Satellite | scientific |
| Satcom [Satcom-KU1 and KU2 were Shuttle-launched] | SATellite COMmuications | communications |
| SBS [SBS-3 and 4 were Shuttle-launched] | Satellite Business Systems | communications |
| SCATHA (P78-2) | Spacecraft Charging AT High Altitude | scientific |
| SCORE | Signal Communication by ORbiting RElay | communications |
| SciSat | SCIence SATellite | scientific |
| SDS (USA) [SBS-2-1 — 2-3 were Shuttle-launched] | Satellite Data System | communications |
| SeaWiFS (SeaStar / OrbView-2) | Sea-viewing Wide Field-of-view Sensor | environmental |
| SeaSat | SEA SATellite | environmental |
| SECOR (EGRS) | SEquential COllation of Range | navigation |
| SELENE (Kaguya) | SELenological and ENgineering Explorer | planetary/lunar |
| SEO (Bhaskara) | Satellite for Earth Observation | scientific |
| SERT | Space Electric Rocket Test | scientific |
| SFU [rocket-launched, Endeavour-retrieved] | Space Flier Unit | astronomy |
| SIGNE (D-2) | Solar Interplanetary Gamma-Neutron Experiment | scientific |
| Simplesat [Discovery-launched] | SIMPLE SATellite | scientific |
| SIR | Shuttle Imaging Radar | scientific |
| SIRIO | Satellite Italiano Ricerca Industriale Orientata | scientific |
| SIRTF (SST) | Space InfraRed Telescope Facility | astronomy |
| SJ (Practice) | Shi Jian | scientific |
| SME (Explorer-64) | Solar Mesosphere Explorer | scientific |
| SMEX (Explorer-68/70/73/74/75/80/82) | SMall EXplorer | scientific |
| SMM [rocket-launched, Challenger-repaired and re-launched] | Solar Maximum Mission | scientific |
| SMS (GOES) | Synchronous Meteorological Satellite | geostationary-weather |
| Snapshot (carrying a SNAP RTG) | (Systems for Nuclear Auxiliary Power Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generator) | military |
| SNOE (Explorer-72 / STEDI) | Student Nitric Oxide Explorer | scientific |
| SOHO | SOlar and Heliospheric Observatory | communications |
| SolRad (GREB / GRAB / Explorer-30/37/44) | SOLar RADiation | scientific |
| Solwind (P78-1) | SOlar WIND | scientific |
| SORCE | SOlar Radiation and Climate Experiment | scientific |
| Spartan | Shuttle Pointed Autonomous Research Tool for Astronomy | astronomy |
| SPAS | Shuttle PAllet Satellite | scientific |
| SPHINX | Space Plasma HI-voltage INternational eXperiment | scientific |
| SPOT | Satellite Probatoire de l'Observation de la Terre Satellite Pour l'Observation de la Terre | environmental |
| SRATS (Taiyo) | Solar Radiation And Thermospheric Satellite | scientific |
| SRET (MAS) | Satellite des Recherches et d'Etudes Technologiques | scientific |
| SROSS | Stretched ROhini Satellite Series | scientific |
| SSS (Explorer-45) | Small Scientific Satellite | scientific |
| SST (SIRTF) | Spitzer Space Telescope | astronomy |
| STARS [proposed and canceled] | Seismic Telescope for Astrophysical Research from Space | astronomy |
| STEREO | Solar-TErrestrial RElations Observatory | scientific |
| STS (Space Shuttle) | Space Transportation System | shuttle-related |
| STEDI (Explorer-72/76) | Student Explorer Demonstration Initiative | scientific |
| STP P78 (Solwind, SCATHA) | Space Test Program | scientific |
| SW (Tansuo) | Shijan Weixing | scientific |
| SWAS (Explorer-74 / SMEX) | Submillimeter Wave Astronomy Satellite | scientific |
| SY (TS) | ShiYan | environmental |
| Syncom Syncom-4 (Leasat) [all five were Shuttle-launched] | SYNchronous COMmunications satellite | communications |
| Tacomsat (Tacsat) | TActical COMmunications SATellite | communications |
| Tacsat (Tacomsat) | TActical Communications SATellite | communications |
| TC (DoubleStar) | Tan Ce | scientific |
| TD (ESRO) | Thor Delta | scientific |
| TDF | Télédiffusion de France | communications |
| TDRS [TDRS-1 — 7 were Shuttle-launched] | Tracking and Data Relay Satellite | communications |
| Telecom | TELECOMmunications satellite | communications |
| Telesat (Anik) [Telesat-6 — 9 were Shuttle-launched] | TELEphone SATellite | communications |
| TERRIERS (Explorer-76 / STEDI) | Tomographic Experiment using Radiative Recombinative Ionospheric EUV and Radio Sources | scientific |
| TETR | TEst and TRaining satellite | scientific |
| THEMIS (Explorer-85 — 89 / MIDEX) | Time History of Events and Macroscale Interactions during Substorms | scientific |
| TIMED | Thermosphere, Ionosphere, Mesosphere, Energetics and Dynamics | scientific |
| TIP (Triad) | Transit Improvement Program | navigation |
| TIROS | Television and InfraRed Observation Satellite | polar-weather |
| TOMS (Earth Probe) | Total Ozone Mapping Spectrometer | environmental |
| TOPEX (Poseidon) | ocean TOPography EXperiment | environmental |
| Topo | TOPOgraphic satellite | navigation |
| TOS | TIROS Operational System | polar-weather |
| TRAAC | Transit Research And Altitude Control | navigation |
| TRACE (Explorer-73 / SMEX) | Transition Region And Coronal Explorer | scientific |
| TRMM | Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission | environmental |
| TRS (ERS / ORS) | Tetrahedral Research Satellite | military |
| TS (SY) | TanSuo | environmental |
| TSS | Tethered Satellite System | shuttle-launched |
| Turksat | TURKish SATellite | communications |
| TV-Sat | TeleVision SATellite | communications |
| UARS [Discovery-launched] | Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite | environmental |
| UK (Ariel) | United Kingdom | scientific |
| UKS (AMPTE / Explorer-65) | United Kingdom Subsatellite | scientific |
| UNEX (Explorer-82) | UNiversity-class EXplorer | scientific |
| UoSAT (OSCAR) | University of Surrey (U.K.) SATellite | amateur |
| Upm/lb | ? | scientific |
| USA (DMSP, DSCS, DSP, Lacrosse, Magnum, Misty, Onyx, Orion, SDS) [some were Shuttle-launched] | United States of America | military |
| Vega | VEnera GAllei | cometary |
| Westar [Westar-6 was Challenger-launched and Discovery-recovered] | WEstern union STAR | communications |
| WindSat (Coriolis) | WIND SATellite | scientific |
| WIRE (Explorer-75 / SMEX) | Wide-field InfraRed Explorer | scientific |
| WMAP (MAP / Explorer-80 / MIDEX) | Wilkinson Microwave Anisotropy Probe | scientific |
| WorldView | WORLD VIEW | environmental |
| WRESAT | Weapon Research Establishment SATellite | scientific |
| WSF [Shuttle-launched] | Wake Sheild Facility | scientific |
| XMM (Newton) | X-ray Multi-mirror Mission | scientific |
| XTE (RXTE / Explorer-69) | X-ray Timing Explorer | scientific |
| ZY-1 (CBERS) ZY-2 (China Resouce / CR) | Zi Yuan Zhong Guo Zi Yuan | environmental |
| Satellite Name (Other Names) | Meaning | Discipline/Category |
|---|---|---|
| Aeros | scientific | |
| Ajisai (EGP / EGS) | hydrangea | scientific |
| Akari (Astro-F) | light | astronomy |
| Akebono (EXOS-D) | dawn | scientific |
| Almaz | diamond | Russian |
| Alouette | lark | scientific |
| Anik (Telesat) [Anik-C1 — C3 and D2 were Shuttle-launched] | brother | communications |
| Aqua (EOS) | water | environmental |
| Aquacade (Rhyolite) | military | |
| Argos [not a satellite; Data Collection and Location System] | Argos | |
| Arirang / Kompsat | environmental | |
| Ariabata (Aryabhata) | scientific | |
| Ariel (UK) | scientific | |
| Arsene | ? | amateur |
| Aryabhata (Ariabata) | scientific | |
| Asterix (A-1) | scientific | |
| Astra | communications | |
| Astrid | scientific | |
| Astro (Hinotori, Tenma, Ginga, Asuka / ASCA, and IRIS) | astronomy | |
| Astron | astronomy | |
| Asuka (Astro-D / ASCA) | Japanese district | astronomy |
| Atlantic Bird | communications | |
| Aura (D-2B) | blue | scientific |
| Aura (EOS) | blue | environmental |
| Aureole (Oreol / ARCAD) | halo | scientific |
| Aurorae (ESRO-1A) | scientific | |
| Ayame (ECS) | iris | communications |
| Azur (GRS) | blue | scientific |
| Badr | full moon | scientific |
| Beacon | scientific | |
| Bhaskara (SEO) | scientific | |
| Big-Bird (KH9) | military | |
| Blue-Bird (Intelsat-2-F1) | communications | |
| Boreas (ESRO-1B) | scientific | |
| Canary-Bird (Intelsat-2-F3) | communications | |
| Cannonball (Cannon Ball) | military | |
| Casssini (-Huygens) | planetary/lunar | |
| Castor (D-5) | scientific | |
| Cerise | scientific | |
| China (PRC) | scientific | |
| Cluster (Salsa, Samba, Rumba, Tango) | scientific | |
| Coriolis (WindSat) | scientific | |
| Corona (Discoverer, KH, RM) | military | |
| Cosmos (Kosmos) | space | Russian |
| Courier | communications | |
| Daichi (ALOS) | great first son OR great land | environmental |
| Denpa (REXS) | radio wave | scientific |
| Diademe (D-1C and D-1D) | scientific | |
| Dial (Wika) | scientific | |
| Diapason (D-1A) | waveband | scientific |
| Discoverer (Corona, KH, RM) | military | |
| Dong Fang Hong (DFH) | east is red | communications |
| DoubleStar (TC) | scientific | |
| Early-Bird (Intelsat-1-F1) | communications | |
| Earth Probe (TOMS) | environmental | |
| Echo | communications | |
| Einstein (HEAO-2) | scientific | |
| Ekran (Statsionar) | screen | communications |
| Elektro (GOMS) | geostationary-weather | |
| Elektron | electron | Russian |
| Eole | wind | scientific |
| Explorer (many other names) | scientific | |
| Ekspress | express | communications |
| Fengyun (FY-1 and 3) Fengyun (FY-2 and 4) | wind-cloud | polar-weather geostationary-weather |
| Firewheel (MPE) | scientific | |
| Fobos (Phobos) | planetary/lunar | |
| Foton | ? | Russian |
| France (FR-1) | scientific | |
| Freja | scientific | |
| Fuji (JAS / OSCAR) | wisteria | amateur |
| Fuyo (JERS) | rose mallow | environmental |
| Galileo [Atlantis-launched] | planetary/lunar | |
| Gamma | scientific | |
| Genesis | scientific | |
| Ginga (Astro-C) | galaxy | astronomy |
| Giotto | cometary | |
| Gorizont | horizon | communications |
| Granat (Astron-2) | astronomy | |
| Gurwin (Techsat, Technion) | amateur | |
| Hakucho (CORSA-B) | swab | scientific |
| Haruka (HALCA / Muses-B) | far-away | planetary/lunar |
| Hawkeye (Explorer-52) | scientific | |
| Hayabusa (Muses-C) | falcon | planetary/lunar |
| Helios (German) Helios (French) | scientific | |
| Hermes (CTS) | communications | |
| Himawari (GMS, MTSat) | sunflower | geostationary-weather |
| Hinode (Solar-B) | sunbeam | scientific |
| Hinotori (Astro-A) | phoenix | astronomy |
| Hiten (Muses-A) | planetary/lunar | |
| Ikonos | image | environmental |
| Injun (Explorer-25/40/52) | scientific | |
| Interbol | Russian | |
| Intercosmos (Interkosmos) | Russian | |
| Interkosmos (Intercosmos) | Russian | |
| Ionosfernaya (Kosmos-318/381) | Russian | |
| Iris (ESRO-2B) | scientific | |
| Iskra [Iskra-2 and 3 were Salyut-launched] | spark | amateur |
| Jason / OSTM | environmental | |
| Jikiken (EXOS-B) | magnetosphere | scientific |
| Jindai (MABES) | cherry tree | scientific |
| Kaguya (SELENE) | planetary/lunar | |
| Kalpana (MetSat) | geostationary-weather | |
| Kiku (ETS) | chrysanthemum | scientific |
| Kitsat (Uribyol / OSCAR) | amateur | |
| Kopernikus (DFS) | communications | |
| Kosmos (Cosmos) | space | Russian |
| Kyokko (EXOS-A) | aurora | scientific |
| Lacrosse (Onyx, USA) [Lacrosse-1 was Atlantis-launched] | military | |
| Lani-Bird (Intelsat-2-F2) | communications | |
| Luch | beam | communications |
| Luna (Lunik, Lunokhod) | moon | planetary/lunar |
| Lunar Orbiter | planetary/lunar | |
| Lunik (Luna, Lunokhod) | planetary/lunar | |
| Lunokhod (Luna, Lunik) | planetary/lunar | |
| Magellan [Atlantis-launched] | planetary/lunar | |
| Magnum (Orion, USA) [both were Discovery-launched] | military | |
| Mariner | planetary/lunar | |
| Mars | planetary/lunar | |
| Mars Odyssey | planetary/lunar | |
| Mars Pathfinder Rover (Sojourner) | planetary/lunar | |
| Meteor (Priroda) | polar-weather | |
| Midori (ADEOS) | green | environmental |
| Misty (USA) [Misty-1 was Atlantis-launched] | military | |
| Molniya | lightning | communications |
| Momo (MOS) | peach blossom | environmental |
| Morelos [Morelos-A and B were Shuttle-launched] | communications | |
| Munin | scientific | |
| Muses (Hiten, Haruka / HALCA, Hayabusa) | planetary/lunar | |
| Nadezhda (Kosmos-1383/1447/1574) | hope | navigation |
| Newton (XMM) | scientific | |
| Nimbus | cloud | polar-weather |
| Nova (Transit) | navigation | |
| Nozomi (Planet-B) | hope | cometary |
| Ocean (HY) | ocean | environmental |
| Odin | scientific | |
| Ofeq | horizon | military |
| Ohsumi | scientific | |
| Ohzora (EXOS-C) | sky | scientific |
| Okean | ocean | Russian |
| Olympus | communications | |
| Onyx (Lacrosse, USA) [Onyx-1 was Atlantis-launched] | military | |
| Oreol (Aureole / ARCAD) | scientific | |
| Orion (Magnum, USA) [both were Discovery-launched] | military | |
| Orizuru (DEBUT) | folded paper crane | scientific |
| Oersted | scientific | |
| Optus (Aussat) [Aussat-A1 and A2 were Shuttle-launched] | communications | |
| Oscar (Transit) | navigation | |
| Owl (Transit) | scientific | |
| Palapa [Palapa-B1 and B2 were Challenger-launched; Palapa-B2 was Dicovery-recovered] | communications | |
| Pegasus | scientific | |
| Phobos (Fobos) | planetary/lunar | |
| Pion [Resurs-launched] | Russian | |
| Pioneer (Pioneer-0 — E) Pioneer (Pioneer-10 — 13) | scientific planetary/lunar |
|
| Planet (Sakigake, Suisei, and Nozomi) | cometary | |
| Polaire (D-2A) | scientific | |
| Pollux (D-5) | scientific | |
| Polyot | flight | Russian |
| Poseidon (TOPEX) | environmental | |
| Practice (SJ) | practice | scientific |
| Priroda (Meteor) | nature | polar-weather |
| Prognoz | forecast | Russian |
| Prospero | scientific | |
| Proton | proton | Russian |
| Ranger | planetary/lunar | |
| Relay | communications | |
| Relikt | Russian | |
| Resurs | resource | Russian |
| Rhyolite (Aquacade) | military | |
| Rohini | scientific | |
| Rosetta | cometary | |
| Sakigake (Planet-prototype / Planet-A1 / MS-T5) | pioneer | cometary |
| Sakura (CS) | communications | |
| San Marco | scientific | |
| Sazuka (Astro-E2) | city name | astronomy |
| SeaStar (SeaWiFS / OrbView-2) | environmental | |
| Shinsei | new star, nova | scientific |
| Sich | sickle | Russian |
| Sindri (Mightysat-2, P97-2) | military | |
| Skynet | communications | |
| Sojourner (Mars Pathfinder Rover) | planetary/lunar | |
| Solar-A (Yohkoh) | scientific | |
| Solar-B (Hinode) | scientific | |
| Solidaridad | solidarity | communications |
| Space Shuttle (STS) | shuttle-related | |
| Spitzer (SST, SIRTF) | astronomy | |
| Sputnik Sputnik-3 | companion, satellite | Russian |
| Stardust | cometary | |
| Starshine-1 and 2 Starshine-3 | scientific amateur |
|
| Statsionar (Ekran) | communications | |
| Stella | scientific | |
| Suisei (Planet-A / Planet-A2) | comet | cometary |
| Surveyor | planetary/lunar | |
| Swift (Explorer-84 / MIDEX) | scientific | |
| Symphonie | communications | |
| Taiyo (SRATS) | sun | scientific |
| Tansei (MS-T1/4) | light blue | scientific |
| Tansuo (SW) | scientific | |
| Technion (Techsat, Gurwin) | amateur | |
| Techsat (Technion, Gurwin) | amateur | |
| Tele-X | communications | |
| Telstar [Telstar-3C and 3D were Discovery-launched] | communications | |
| Tenma (Astro-B) | pegasus | astronomy |
| Terra (EOS) | earth | environmental |
| Tournesol (D-2A) | scientific | |
| Transit (Nova, Oscar, and Owl) | navigation | |
| Triad (TIP) | navigation | |
| Tsubasa (MDS) | wind | scientific |
| Uhuru (Explorer-42) | freedom (Swahili) | scientific |
| Ulysses [Discovery-launched] | scientific | |
| Ume (ISS) | plum blossom | scientific |
| Uribyol (Kitsat / OSCAR) | our star | amateur |
| Vanguard | scientific | |
| Vela | military | |
| Venera (Venus / Venusik) | planetary/lunar | |
| Venus (Venera / Venusik) | venus | planetary/lunar |
| Venusik (Venera / Venus) | planetary/lunar | |
| Viking (U.S. version) Viking (Swedish version) | planetary/lunar scientific |
|
| Whitecloud (NOSS) | military | |
| Wika (Dial) | scientific | |
| Yaogan (RSS) | environmental | |
| Yohkoh (Solar-A) | sunbeam | scientific |
| Yuri (BS, BSAT, BSE) | lili | communications |
| Zond | probe | planetary/lunar |
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