Gene Kranz - Failure Is Not an Option

CM- command module (reentry portion of the Apollo spacecraft that contains the crew)

CMP- command module pilot

CONTROL- Lunar Module engineer in the MCC responsible for propulsion, attitude control, and primary and abort guidance and navigation systems, including computer hardware

Cryo- cryogenic (oxygen and hydrogen fuels stored at very cold temperatures)

CSM- Command and Service Module—Apollo

EECOM- Gemini or CSM engineer in MCC responsible for electrical, environmental, communications, cryogenic, fuel cell, pyrotechnic, and structural systems

EVA- extravehicular activity

FCD- Flight Control Division—provides majority of flight controllers to the MCC

FCOB- Flight Control Operations Branch—provides assistant flight director and procedures, develops mission rules

FIDO- flight dynamics officer (the MCC specialist in launch and orbit trajectories)

FOD- Flight Operations Directorate organization; also, flight operations director in the MCC

FTE- flight test engineer

G- acceleration due to gravity forces

GMT- Greenwich Mean Time, also referred to as Zulu (Z) time

GNC- Gemini/CSM engineer in MCC responsible for propulsion, attitude control, guidance, and navigation systems, including computer hardware

Go NoGo- decision process to continue or abort a mission activity

GRR- guidance reference release

GSFC- Goddard Space Flight Center (Greenbelt, Maryland)

GT-- Gemini-Titan-(followed by mission number)

GUIDO- (pronounced GIDO) MCC specialist in navigation and computer software. During Gemini, this included the Titan II guidance system.

INCO- MCC engineer responsible for combined CSM, LM, EVA, and Rover instrumentation, communications, command, and television systems

KSC- John F. Kennedy Space Center, Florida

LM- lunar module, previously called lunar excursion module (LEM)

LMP- lunar module pilot

LOI- lunar orbit injection (maneuver to enter into lunar orbit)

LOS- loss of signal

LRC- Langley Research Center (Langley Field, Virginia)

MA-- Mercury-Atlas-(followed by mission number)

Mach- ratio of airspeed to the speed of sound at a given altitude

MCC- Mercury Control Center at Cape 1960-65 or Mission Control Center at Houston 1965-1972

MET- mission elapsed time (time since liftoff)

MPAD- Mission Planning and Analysis Division—responsible for analytic trajectory design

MR-- Mercury-Redstone-(followed by mission number)

MSC- Manned Spacecraft Center, Houston, Texas, used through 1973

MSFC- Marshall Space Flight Center (Huntsville, Alabama)

NACA- National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics

NASA- National Aeronautics and Space Administration

NoGo- the decision to cancel a planned event

OD- operations director position in Mercury Control, changed to FOD for Gemini and Apollo

PAO- public affairs officer—position in the MCC to release mission information

POGO- rapid up-and-down maneuver that if continued would destroy launch vehicle

psi- pounds per square inch

PTC- passive thermal control

RCS- Reaction Control System—small propulsion jets for attitude control and small maneuvers

Refsmmat- reference to stable member matrix—technique for conversion between coordinate systems

RETRO- retrofire officer—the MCC specialist in reentry trajectories

RSO- range safety officer—responsible for protecting landmass across the world from errant rockets

SCE- signal conditioning electronics

SimSup- simulation supervisor—the leader of the training team in the MCC

SM- service module—portion of Apollo CSM that contained main engines and power systems

SPAN- spacecraft analysis team—small group in MCC to access design and manufacturing

SPC- stored program command, a command stored in a computer or program that will activate a function at a specific clock time

Stay NoStay- Time-critical decision to remain on the Moon or lift off at the next opportunity

SYSTEMS- Mercury control center engineer responsible for electrical, attitude control, display, and structural systems

TEC- trans-Earth coast

TEI- trans-Earth injection (maneuver to return the spacecraft to Earth from the Moon)

TELMU- Lunar Module engineer responsible for electrical, environmental, communications, pyrotechnic, structural, and EVA systems

TLC- translunar coast

TLI- translunar injection (the maneuver to take the spacecraft to the Moon)

TM- telemetry

Trench- the MCC trajectory team consisting of the RETRO, FIDO, and GUIDO

TVC- thrust vector control (rocket steering mechanism)

Z- Zulu—shortened term for Greenwich Mean Time used in logs and messages

BDA- Bermuda

ATS/RKV- Atlantic Tracking Ship/ Rose Knot Victor—designation changed in middle of the program

CYI- Canary Islands

KNO- Kano, Nigeria

ZZB- Zanzibar

IOS/CSQ- Indian Ocean Ship/ Coastal Sentry Quebec—designation changed in middle of program

MUC- Muchea, Australia

WOM- Woomera, Australia—tracking station in a remote desert location on a military test range

CTN- Canton Island—FAA ground beacon for aircraft navigation in South Pacific

HAW- located at edge of Waimea Canyon on Hawaiian island of Kauai

CAL- California, site located at Point Arguello

GYM- Guaymas, Mexico

TEX- Corpus Christi, Texas

CYI- Canary Islands

CRO- Carnarvon, Australia

HAW- located at edge of Waimea Canyon on Hawaiian island of Kauai

GYM- Guaymas, Mexico

CSQ- Coastal Sentry Quebec ship

RKV- Rose Knot Victor ship

TEX- Used as a training site only

Aaron, John

and Apollo 1 fire

and Apollo 11

and Apollo 12

and Apollo 13 crisis

Abort

in mission rules

training sessions

Abort command

Abort switch problem

Agena

Africa tracking sites

Air Force

Agena upper-stage rocket

Atlas program

Fighting 69th

man in space program

satellite missions

6555th test wing

Aldrich, Arnold (Arnie)

and Apollo 13 crisis

Aldrin, Edwin (Buzz)

Apollo 11

as CapCom

EVA training

America

American flag

on Moon