Abbreviations and acronyms

A-B

AE

Approach Ellipsoid (ISS traffic control and safety zone).

ATV

Automated Transfer Vehicle: cargo transport vehicle, to be launched by the European launcher Ariane V and docking to the ISS, European contribution, for servicing the ISS.

C

CAM

collision avoidance manoeuvre: fixed boost manoeuvre moving the chaser for all approach conditions safely out of the vicinity of the target. To be initiated in case of danger of collision.

CC

control centre.

CCD

charge coupled device.

CCSDS

Consultative Committee for Space Data Systems.

CoM

centre of mass.

CRV

Crew Return Vehicle.

CTRL

control function.

CW

Clohessy Wiltshire.

D

DCM

direction cosine matrix.

DGPS

Differential Global Positioning System.

DOF

degrees of freedom.

DRS

data relay satellite.

E

EPOS

European Proximity Operations Simulator: stimulation facility for optical rendezvous sensors.

ESA

European Space Agency.

ESTEC

European Space Research and Technology Centre (ESA establishment).

ETS-VII

Engineering Test Satellite no. 7: developed and launched 1997 by Japan. Performed a rendezvous and docking demonstration with a sub-satellite.

EURECA

European Retrievable Carrier: spacecraft developed by ESA, brought into orbit in 1992 and retrieved from orbit in 1993 by the US Space Shuttle. EURECA was developed for multiple use, but has been flown only once.

EVA

extra-vehicular activity.

F

FDIR

failure detection, isolation and recovery.

FDI

failure detection and isolation.

FOV

field of view: extension of measurement range in directions normal to the line of sight.

G

GDOP

geometric dilution of precision: quality criterion for the geometrical constellation of four navigation satellites selected for measurement.