Difference between revisions of "Abbreviations and acronyms"

Latest revision as of 00:17, 21 February 2023

This page lists many abbreviations, acronyms and initialisms that are used frequently to communicate more quickly, but can confuse new players or players who are not familiar with them.

AGU

Advanced Grabbing Unit.

AoA, AOA

Angle of attack.

Ap

Apoapsis, highest point in an orbit.

CM

Command Module, a transfer ship that delivers a Lander Module to orbit around some body, then waits there and takes it completely or only the crew home again. Not to be confused with command modules.

CoL, COL

Center of Lift.

CoM, COM

Center of Mass.

CoT, COT

Center of Thrust.

dV, Δv

Delta-V, a measure of the ship's propulsive energy.

EC

Electric charge, a resource that is used to operate various parts.

Ecc

Eccentricity, how circular an orbit is.

EVA

Extra-Vehicular Activity - Making Kerbals leave the craft for spacewalks, landings, etc.

GSO

Geosynchronous Orbit, an orbit with the same orbital period as Kerbin.

GUI

Graphical User Interface.

HKO

High Kerbin Orbit, an orbit around Kerbin higher than 2863.33 km.

HSC

Hitchhiker Storage Container - The PPD-10 Hitchhiker Storage Container.

IA

Intake air, a fuel resource that is used by jet engines.

Inc

Inclination, tilt of an orbit.

ISP, Isp, I_sp

Specific impulse, more accurately I_sp but that's hard to do on the forum. A measure of rocket engine efficiency, usually given in seconds. The higher the value, the more efficient the engine.

IVA

Intra-Vehicular Activity - The point of view of an individual Kerbal inside the command module.

KEO

Kerbisynchronous Equatorial Orbit, and orbit with the same orbital period as Kerbin and with an inclination of 0°.

KSC

Kerbal Space Center.

KSP

Kerbal Space Program.

LES

Launch Escape System.

LF

Liquid fuel, a fuel resource that is used by engines.

LFB

Liquid Fuel Booster - like the LFB KR-1x2.

LFO

Liquid Fuel/Oxidizer, commonly used for fuel tanks that contain Liquid fuel and Oxidizer.

LKO

Low Kerbin Orbit, an orbit around Kerbin between 70-200 km.

LM

Lander Module, paired with a Command Module and which lands on the body.

LMB

Left Mouse Button.

LMC

Left Mouse Click.

MC

Mission Control.

Mono

Monopropellant, a fuel resource that is used for powering RCS thrusters.

Ox

Oxidizer, a fuel resource that is used by rocket engines.

Pe

Periapsis, lowest point in an orbit.

R&D

Research and Development.

RCS

Reaction Control System.

RMB

Right Mouse Button.

RMC

Right Mouse Click.

RTG

Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generator.

RUD

Rapid, Unplanned Disassembly. Usually happens when there are not enough struts or it collides with something. See also catastrophic failure.

SA

Subassembly (in VAB/SPH).

SAS

Stability Augmentation System or (jokingly) Sickness Avoidance Solution/Scheme/System.

SF

Solid fuel, a fuel resource that is used by Solid rocket boosters.

SMA

Semi-major axis.

SoI, SOI

Sphere of influence, which are the frames of reference. The trajectory in the current sphere of influence is shown blue on the map view.

SPH

Space Plane Hangar.

SRB

Solid Rocket Booster.

SSTO

Single-Stage-To-Orbit, a craft that can reach orbit with only one stage.

TSTO

Two-Stage-To-Orbit, a craft that can reach orbit with only jettisoning one stage so two stages.

TVC

Thrust Vector Control.

TWR

Thrust-to-weight ratio, must be greater than 1 to overcome gravity, unless already in space.

VAB

Vehicle Assembly Building.

VTOL

Vertical TakeOff and Landing.

Xe

Xenon gas, a fuel resource that powers ion engines.

See also

• Terminology