A spacecraft prefix is a combination of letters, usually abbreviations, used in front of the name of a spacecraft, and its purpose is often analogous to more conventional ship prefixes. This list does not include prefixes used on rockets, rocket launches, and spaceflights. Non-productive prefixes (e.g. CSS in CSS Skywalker) are also not included in the list.

Prefixes

Prefix Meaning Purpose
CM Command Module Used to denote individual Apollo command modules (e.g. CM Columbia).
CSM Command and Service Module Used to denote individual Apollo command and service modules (e.g. CSM Columbia).
DOS Long-duration Orbital Station[1] Used to denote individual civilian Salyut stations (e.g. DOS-5) and Salyut-derived modules (e.g. DOS-8).
LM Lunar Module Used to denote individual Apollo Lunar Modules (e.g. LM Eagle).[lower-alpha 1]
OK Orbital Ship[lower-alpha 2] Used to denote individual Buran-class orbiters (e.g. OK-GLI).
OPS Orbital Piloted Station[4] Used to denote individual Almaz stations (e.g. OPS-3).
OV Orbiter Vehicle Used to denote individual Space Shuttle orbiters (e.g. OV-102 Columbia).
OTV Orbital Test Vehicle Used to denote X-37B vehicles and missions (e.g. OTV-1).
RSS Reusable Space Ship Used to denote New Shepard vehicles and capsules (e.g. RSS H. G. Wells).
VSS Virgin Space Ship[5] Used to denote spaceplanes operated by Virgin Galactic (e.g. VSS Unity).
S.S. Unknown (Space Ship?) Used by Northrop Grumman for Cygnus spacecraft (e.g. S.S. Kalpana Chawla).

Notes

  1. ↑ The acronym LEM (Lunar Excursion Module) was previously used for that purpose, but was preceded by LM in 1966.[2][3]
  2. ↑ Russian: Орбитальный Корабль, romanized: Orbital'nyy Korabl'

References

  1. ↑ "Salyut-1, its origin, flights to it and radio tracking thereof". www.svengrahn.pp.se. Retrieved 2020-11-04.
  2. ↑ "SP-4402 Origins of NASA Names". NASA History. NASA. Retrieved January 16, 2015.
  3. ↑ Scheer, Julian W. (Assistant Administrator for Public Affairs, NASA). Memorandum from Project Designation Committee, June 9, 1966.
  4. ↑ "The Almaz program". www.russianspaceweb.com. Retrieved 2020-11-04.
  5. ↑ "Scale comparison chart of Spaceshipone and Spaceshiptwo". Gizmodo. Archived from the original on 17 March 2007. Retrieved 6 April 2007.
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