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O Connor, Bryan Daniel 'OC' (1946-) American test pilot astronaut. Flew on STS-61-B, STS-40.
O Dell, Charles R (1937-) American astronomer, NASA project scientist for the Hubble Space Telescope, 1972-1983.
O Keefe, Sean American manager, NASA Administrator 2001-2005, advocate of nuclear power use in spacecraft. Reorganized the ISS program to cover overruns, was administrator when the crew of the Columbia perished, and began work on a post-shuttle program.
O Leary, Brian Todd (1940-) American scientist astronaut, 1967-1968.
OAM.
Hydrazine propellant rocket stage. Loaded/empty mass 714/360 kg. Thrust 0.88 kN. Vacuum specific impulse 222 seconds. Monopropellant final stage providing precise orbital injection. Pressure-fed, indefinite number of restarts.
OAMS.
Orbit attitude and maneuvering system
OAO.
American visible astronomy satellite. 4 launches, 1966.04.08 (OAO 1) to 1972.08.21 (OAO 3).
OART.
Office of Advanced Research and Technology
American technology satellite. One launch, 1996.01.11. GPS receiver, amateur radio tests; examined effect of solar radiation on satellite explosive devices; deployed from STS 72 1/14/96; retrieved 1/16/96.
OB.
Habitation block (Russian abbreviation)
Location used for release and launch of balloon-launched Kappa sounding rockets in 1961.
German sounding rocket. Rocket pioneer Hermann Oberth agreed to build and fly a liquid propellant rocket to publicise the Fritz Lang film Frau im Mond. Oberth's design was too ambitious and the rocket was never completed in time for the film's premiere. But the engine developed for it would be further refined and used in the Mirak rocket, flown in 1931-1933.
Oberth, Hermann Julius (1894-1989) Father of German Spaceflight. His 1923 book outlined the mathematic principles of rocketry and space travel, providing the basis for the space craze in Germany, leading to the V-2 and von Braun's rocket team.
German manufacturer of rockets. Oberth, Germany.
Object 350.
Article Number of Burya intercontinental cruise missile.
Oblik.
Code name for Zenit-8 military surveillance satellite.
OBV.
American anti-ballistic missile. Suborbital booster for the US Missile Defense Agency's Ground-based Midcourse Defense system's EKV ballistic missile kill vehicle. The basic OBV consisted of the upper three stages and guidance system from the Taurus orbital launch vehicle (essentially a wingless Pegasus-XL). The OBV was launched from an open pad; the operational version was to be silo-launched.
Russian earth resources radar satellite. Study 1992. The Arsenal Design Bureau proposed converting its military ocean reconnaissance spacecraft bus (EORSAT) into a civil remote sensing platform.
The disappearance of a celestial body behind another body of equal or larger apparent size, such as the occultation of the Sun by the Moon as viewed by an Earth observer during a solar eclipse. Also, the covering of the image of a celestial body by a disc whose size is equal to or larger than the size of the image.
Category of persons.
Ochoa, Dr Ellen Lauri (1958-) Hispanic-American engineer mission specialist astronaut. Flew on STS-56, STS-66, STS-96, STS-110. Engineer.
Ockels, Dr Wubbo Johannes (1946-) Dutch physicist payload specialist astronaut. Flew on STS-61-A. First Dutch astronaut.
OCO.
Orbiting Carbon Observatory. Launched 2009.02.24,
OCSE.
American technology satellite. One launch, 2000.01.27. Optical Calibration Sphere Experiment, a 3.5m diameter inflatable sphere built by L'Garde Inc. for calibrating the lasers at the AFRL Starfire Optical Range.
OCST.
Office of Commercial Space Transportation
OD-.
Optical telescope (designation numbering series) (Russian abbreviation)
American military target satellite. 12 launches, 1994.02.03 (ODERACS A) to 1995.02.03 (ODERACS IIF). Orbital Debris Radar Calibration Spheres were small, low-earth orbiting calibration targets for ground based radar and optical systems.
Odin.
Swedish infrared astronomy satellite. One launch, 2001.02.20. Odin was a Swedish dual disciplinary (astrophysics and atmospheric science) spacecraft. The 250 kg, 340 W spacecraft had a pointing accuracy of 15 arcsec and a data storage capacity of 100 MB.
Odintsov, Mikhail Petrovich (1921-) Russian officer. Director of the Cosmonaut Training Centre 1963. Hated by the cosmonauts and relieved of duty after criticising the performance of Tereshkova.
Odishaw, Hubert 'Hugh' (1916-1984) American scientist, executive director of the US National Committee for the International Geophysical Year, 1954-1965
Odle.
Odle, Randy Thomas (1951-) American engineer military spaceflight engineer astronaut, 1982-1986.
Odyssey Worldwide Services (commercial venture).
American communications satellite network. Operations were planned in 1997 to begin by the end of 1998. However in the event the entire enterprise was cancelled when the dot-com / MEO satellite bubble burst.
Oefelein, William Anthony 'Bill' (1965-) American test pilot astronaut. Flew on STS-116.
Swiss manufacturer of rocket engines and rockets. Oerlikon, Switzerland.
Oerlikon Aerospace Inc..
Second Owner of Oerlikon
Oerlikon-Contraves.
First Owner of Oerlikon
American technology satellite. One launch, 1985.11.27. Shuttle autopilot software test target.
OF2.
Oxygen difluoride was a candidate high performance propellant of the late 1950's that was less cryogenic then fluorine. It is also not so corrosive or reactive as fluorine; however, it will react with most substances under proper conditions. Due to safety concerns it was never adopted in a production engine.
Israeli technology satellite. 2 launches, 1988.09.19 (Ofeq-1) to 1990.04.03 (Ofeq-2). Ofeq, meaning 'Horizon', was a technology demonstration satellite developed by IAI (Israel Aircraft Industries) for ISA (Israel Space Agency).
Israeli military surveillance satellite. 4 launches, 1995.04.05 (Ofeq-3) to 2006.04.25 (EROS-B). Ofeq 3 was Israel's second-generation imaging surveillance satellite.
Israeli military surveillance satellite. Operational, first launch 2002.05.28. Ofeq-5 was said to be about 33% heavier than its predecessors.
Israeli indigenous satellite series. Launching organization: Israel Aircraft Industries, Ltd (IAI) and Israeli Space Agency (ISA). Function of first Offeqs: 1) Experimentation in generation of solar power; 2) Experimentation in transmission reception from space; 3) Verification of system's ability to withstand vacuum and weightless conditions; 4) Data collection on space environment conditions and Earth's magnetic field. Later models provided military optical and electronic reconnaissance services.
Category of persons.
Atlas D (SMS 566) ICBM base.
OFO.
American biology satellite. One launch, 1970.11.09. The Frog Otolith Experiment Package (FOEP) contained all apparatus necessary to assure survival of two frogs.
OGCh.
Russian military orbital bombing system. 24 launches, 1965.03.05 (FOBS) to 1971.08.08 (Cosmos 433).
Iranian unguided solid propellant artillery rocket, licensed production of Chinese Type 83. Entered service in 1986.
OGO.
American earth magnetosphere satellite. 6 launches, 1964.09.05 (OGO 1) to 1969.06.05 (OGO 6).
Ogthoff, Leopold German expert in guided missiles during World War II.
OHB.
OHB System GmbH, Bremen, Germany
OHB System GmbH.
First Owner of Bremen
Japanese technology satellite. 4 launches, 1966.09.26 (Ohsumi 1) to 1969.09.22 (Ohsumi 4). Small engineering test satellites lofted by Japan's first indigenous launch vehicle.
OICETS.
Code name for Kirari communications satellite.
OIS.
Orbital military station (Russian abbreviation)
OIS.
Solid rocket stage. 27.00 kN (6,070 lbf) thrust. Mass 361 kg (796 lb).
Oka.
OKB.
Special or Experimental Design Bureau; or Orbital spacecraft (Russian abbreviations)
OKB Dushkin.
Second Owner of Dushkin
OKB Fakel.
Second Owner of Stechkin
OKB Zarya.
Third Owner of Sevruk
OKB-1.
Second Owner of Korolev
OKB-1 Filial 3.
First Owner of Kozlov
OKB-10.
First Owner of Reshetnev
OKB-11 GKAT.
First Owner of Tikhomirov
OKB-117.
Second Owner of Izotov
OKB-134.
First Owner of Lyapin
OKB-154.
Second Owner of Kosberg
OKB-155.
First Owner of MiG
OKB-16.
First Owner of Nudelman
OKB-165.
Second Owner of Lyulka
OKB-2.
Second Owner of Isayev
OKB-23.
First Owner of Myasishchev
OKB-256.
First Owner of Tsybin
OKB-276.
Second Owner of Kuznetsov
OKB-3 of NII-88.
Second Owner of Sevruk
Russian agency. OKB-30, Russia.
OKB-300 Turayevo Branch.
Second Owner of Stepanov
OKB-301.
First Owner of Lavochkin
OKB-4.
First Owner of Bisnovat
OKB-456.
Second name of Glushko
Russian intercontinental range ballistic missile. Variant using a Glushko nuclear engine heating ammonia as a propellant.
OKB-52.
Second Owner of Chelomei
OKB-586.
First Owner of Yuzhnoye
OKB-670.
Second name of Bondaryuk
Russian intercontinental range ballistic missile. Variant using a Bondaryuk nuclear engine heating mixed alcohol and ammonia as a propellant.
Naval radar satellite network.
Okean-3.
Manufacturer's designation for Okean-O earth resources radar satellite.
Ukrainian earth resources radar satellite. 2 launches, 1979.02.12 (Cosmos 1076) to 1980.01.23 (Cosmos 1151). First prototype of Okean series. Development of methods for obtaining operational information on the Pacific Ocean.
Ukrainian earth resources radar satellite. One launch, 1999.07.17.
Ukrainian earth resources radar satellite. 9 launches, 1986.07.28 (Cosmos 1766) to 2004.12.24 (Sich-1M). Third generation Soviet oceanographic research satellite, equipped with a side-looking radar, radiometer, and multi-spectral scanner.
Ukrainian earth resources radar satellite. 2 launches, 1983.09.28 (Cosmos 1500) to 1984.09.28 (Cosmos 1602).
Okhapkin, Sergei Osipovich (1910-1980) Russian engineer. Deputy Chief Designer 1952-1976 of Korolev design bureau. Led work on the N1 and was Mishin's First Deputy.
Okhotsimskiy, Dmitri Yevgenyevich (1921-) Russian scientist. Scientist at OPM MIAN. Conducted research work on an early ICBM.
Sounding rocket launch location known to have been used for 27 launches from 1981 to 2005, reaching up to 1000 kilometers altitude. From 2009 offshore point used for launch of Volna SLBM's from submarines.
OKIK.
Major Command and Tracking Centre (Russian abbreviation)
OK-M.
Russian manned spaceplane. Study 1984. 1980's design for a spaceplane, smaller than Buran, to replace Soyuz and Progress spacecraft for space station crew rotation/replenishment tasks.
Russian manned spaceplane. Study 1984. The OK-M1 manned spaceplane was designed by NPO Molniya as a follow-on to the OK-M of NPO Energia. The OK-M1 was an integrated part of a unique launch vehicle, the MMKS reusable multi-module space system.
Russian manned spaceplane. Study 1984. The OK-M2 was a manned spaceplane, a straight delta wing joined to a broad fuselage with an upturned nose.
Oko.
Russian military early warning satellite. 86 launches, 1972.09.19 (Cosmos 520) to 2010.09.30. Work on the Soviet Union's first infrared ICBM launch detection satellite began in 1967 as the USK - space system to observe rocket launches.
Oktant, Kobalt-M.
Code name for Yantar-4K1 military surveillance satellite.
Oleg.
Alternate designation for Spektr manned space station.
Oleinik, Ivan Ivanovich (1937-) Ukrainian officer. Colonel-General. Commander of Plesetsk Cosmodrome 1985-1991. From 1992 served in Ministry of Defence of the Ukraine.
Olejuik, Robert German Luftwaffe Me-163 test pilot.
Olivas, John Daniel 'Danny' (1965-) Hispanic-American engineer mission specialist astronaut 1998-2010. Flew on STS-117, STS-128.
OLPP.
Office of Lunar and Planetary Programs
Olsen, Gregory Hammond 'Greg' (1945-) American scientist cosmonaut. Flew on ISS EP-9. Space tourist
Olthof, Henk (1944-) Dutch physicist at ESA. From 1977-1986, responsible for the secretariat of the Astronomy Working Group. Thereafter, served as the head of space station and platforms for scientific users at the European Space Research and Technology Centre.
Chinese technology satellite. One launch, 2004.04.18, Naxing 1. It was announced in July 2001 would China will launch two small satellites on one rocket. The first would be an engineering test satellite developed by Tsinghua University.
European communications technology satellite. One launch, 1989.07.12. This communications technology demonstration satellite tested direct television broadcast beams and was also equipped with conventional communications transponders.
Oman.
Oman
OMB.
Office of Management and Budget
OME.
Aerojet N2O4/MMH rocket engine. 26.7 kN. Study 1972. Isp=316s. Engine used in Shuttle Orbiter Orbital Maneuvering System pods, for orbit insertion, maneuvering, and re-entry initiation. First flight 1981.
Russian technology satellite. 2 launches, 1963.04.13 (Cosmos 14) to 1963.12.13 (Cosmos 23). Early Cosmos satellite, evidently using the Yuzhnoye DS satellite bus. Payload developed by the VNIIEM to test electric gyrodyne orientation systems.
Omelchenko, Svetlana Oktyabrevna (1951-) Russian journalist cosmonaut, 1990-1992.
Omid.
Iranian technology satellite. 2 launches, 2008.08.16 (Omid) and 2009.02.02. First Iranian-built, Iranian-launched satellite.
OMS.
Orbital Maneuvering System
OMSF.
Office of Manned Space Flight, NASA
Omsk.
Base for units deployed with launchers for the R-9 ICBM.
OMV.
American space tug. Cancelled 1987. The Orbital Maneuvering Vehicle (OMV) was an important component in NASA's future Space Station plans in the 1980s.
TRW N2O4/MMH rocket engine. 0.578 kN. In Production.
Ona.
Ona, John Bernhardt (1925-2004) American engineer. Headed Atlas missile final checkout; later Chief of Reliability Engineering for the Centaur.
One stage Orbital Space Truck.
Russian orbital launch vehicle. Launch vehicle proposed for the 'Kliper' manned spaceplane in 2004. The 'Onega' was a hitherto-unrevealed massive improvement of the reliable Soyuz. It would deliver double the payload to a space station orbit, and could be available by 2010 if funding was made available.
French manufacturer of rocket engines and rockets. Office National d'Etudes et de Recherches Aerospatiales, France.
Ongaro, Franco (1958-) Italian engineer payload specialist astronaut, 1990-1993.
Onishchenko, Leonid Vasilyevich (1930-) Russian officer. From 1983 served in KIK space tracking units. Earlier developed a range of automated control systems for satellites, notably the Interkosmos and Glonass series.
Onishi, Takuya (1975-) Japanese pilot mission specialist astronaut, 2009-on.
Onizuka, Ellison Shoji (1946-1986) American test engineer mission specialist astronaut. Flew on STS-51-C, STS-51-L. Died in Challenger accident.
ONR.
American agency overseeing development of rockets. Office of Naval Research, USA.
American manufacturer. ONR-Titan, USA.
Onufrienko, Yuri Ivanovich (1961-) Ukrainian pilot cosmonaut. Flew on Mir EO-21, ISS EO-4. 389 cumulative days in space. After leaving cosmonaut corps in April 2004, assigned as Deputy Chief for the First Administration of RGNII TsPK. Call sign: Skif (Skif - Roman-age tribe).
Onyx.
Code name for Lacrosse civilian surveillance radar satellite.
OOS.
Orbit-to-orbit stage (see IUS)
OOSA.
Office of Outer Space Affairs (United Nations office)
OOST.
Lox/LH2 propellant rocket stage. Loaded/empty mass 7,982,000/431,000 kg. Thrust 123,191.00 kN. Vacuum specific impulse 410 seconds.
OOST.
Bono's earliest design for an expendable single-stage-to-orbit LH2/Lox booster. The baseline version used conventional engines.
OOST.
American SSTO VTOVL orbital launch vehicle. Bono's earliest design for an expendable single-stage-to-orbit LH2/Lox booster. The baseline version used conventional engines.
Lox/LH2 propellant rocket stage. Loaded/empty mass 5,125,000/292,000 kg. Thrust 85,386.00 kN. Vacuum specific impulse 455 seconds.
American SSTO orbital launch vehicle. Alternate version of OOST using Improved Specific Impulse approach: many engines feeding into single large nozzle.
OP.
Russian manned space station. Study 1962. Korolev's next attempt to win military support for development of the N-I was his fantastic 'Orbitalniy Poyas' (OP -Orbital Belt) scheme of 20 April 1962.
OPAL.
American technology satellite. One launch, 2000.01.27. Stanford University Orbiting Picosat Automated Launcher.
French test vehicle. Original designation of the Antares test vehicle.
Solid rocket stage. 20.00 kN (4,496 lbf) thrust. Mass 500 kg (1,102 lb).
Solid rocket stage. 33.00 kN (7,419 lbf) thrust. Mass 200 kg (441 lb).
Opel.
Fritz von Opel sponsored early tests of rocket-powered automobiles and aircraft, popularizing the idea of rocket propulsion in Germany.
Opel.
German manufacturer of rockets. Opel, Germany.
Opel.
Opel, Fritz von (1899-1971) German automobile manufacturer and rocketry enthusiast. Grandson of founder of Opel, after graduation, put in charge of testing and publicity. Funded Valier's tests of rocket engines in ground and air vehicles.
OPF.
Orbiter Processing Facility
Orion Propulsion Lox/LCH4 rocket engine. 0.445 kN. Reaction control thruster for future manned spacecraft. Developed from 2001; tested 2005.
Opimz, Rudolph German expert in rocket planes during World War II. As of January 1947, working at Wright Field, Ohio.
Opitz, Rudolf German Luftwaffe Me-163 test pilot.
OPM.
Department of Applied Mathematics (Russian abbreviation)
Opportunity.
Alternate designation for MER mars lander.
OPS.
Orbital Piloted Station (Russian abbreviation)
OPS.
Russian manned space station. Cancelled 1976. Designation give to combined TKS+OPS Almaz station.
OPS-2.
Manufacturer's designation for Almaz OPS-2 manned space station.
Optical Inter-Orbit Communications Engineering Test Satellite.
Alternate designation for Kirari communications satellite.
Australian agency. Optus Communications, Australia.
OR.
US Army Ordnance Research and Development Division Sub-Office (Rocket)
American communications technology satellite. 31 launches, 1991.07.17 (Orbcomm-X) to 2008.06.19 (Orbcomm FM36). Orbcomm was a commercial venture to provide global messaging services using a constellation of 26 low-Earth orbiting satellites.
Orbcomm was a commercial venture to provide global messaging services using a constellation of 26 low-Earth orbiting satellites.
American agency overseeing development of spacecraft. Orbital Communications Corp, Dulles, USA.
American agency. Orbital Imaging Corp, Dulles, USA.
American earth ionosphere satellite. 7 launches, 1968.08.16 (AVL-802 Grid Sphere 7-1) to (AVL-802 Grid Sphere 7-1). Investigate effects of ionosphere on radio signals.
Category of launch vehicles.
Orbital Block.
Alternate designation for R-56 Block O rocket stage.
Orbital Boost Vehicle.
Alternate designation for OBV anti-ballistic missile.
American manned rescue spacecraft. Study 1966.
American rendezvous technology satellite. One launch, 2007.03.09, Astro. The active satellite of the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency's Orbital Express program.
Category of launch sites.
Category of launch vehicles.
Orbital Maneuvering System Pods.
Alternate designation for Shuttle Orbiter OMS rocket stage.
Orbital Manoeuvring Vehicle.
Manufacturer's designation for OMV space tug.
Orbital Re-entry Experiment Vehicle.
Alternate designation for OREX re-entry vehicle technology satellite.
American navigation technology satellite. Study 1969.
Orbital Sciences Corp.
Third Owner of Germantown
Orbital Technologies Corporation.
American manufacturer of rocket engines. Orbital Technologies Corporation, USA.
Orbital Test Satellite.
Alternate designation for OTS communications technology satellite.
Orbital Transfer Vehicle.
Manufacturer's designation for OTV space tug.
Indian manned spacecraft. Study 2015. Design of an Indian manned spacecraft began in October 2006. Dependent on a full funding decision at the end of 2008, planned first flight of the two-man capsule was 2015.
American manned space station. Study 1965. The Orbital Workshop (OWS) was a 1960's NASA program to create an embryonic space station in orbit using the spent S-IVB rocket stage of a Saturn IB.
Orbital Sciences Corp., Germantown , USA
Orbital Sciences Corp., McLean, USA
Orbitalnky Poyas - Orbital Belt.
Alternate designation for OP manned space station.
Orbital Technologies Corporation Lox/LCH4 rocket engine. 0.133 kN. Reaction control thruster. Tested 2005. Used vortex-cooled combustion process to eliminate combustion chamber heating.
Orbiting and Retrievable Far and Extreme UV Spectrometer.
Alternate designation for ORFEUS ultraviolet astronomy satellite.
Orbiting Astronomical Observatory.
Alternate designation for OAO visible astronomy satellite.
Orbiting Frog Otolith.
Alternate designation for OFO biology satellite.
Orbiting Geophysical Laborator.
Alternate designation for OGO earth magnetosphere satellite.
Orbiting Satellite Carrying Amateur Radio.
Alternate designation for Oscar amateur radio communications satellite.
Orbiting Work Shop.
Alternate designation for Skylab OWS manned space station module.
American target missile. Three stage vehicle consisting of 1 x GEM-40 + 1 x Orbus 1 + 1 x Orbus 1
CSD solid rocket engine. 88 kN.
Orbus 21.
Manufacturer's designation of SRM-1 Solid rocket engine.
Orbus 21D.
Alternate designation for IUS-1 rocket stage.
Orbus 6.
Manufacturer's designation of SRM-2 Solid rocket engine.
American civilian surveillance satellite. 2 launches, 2001.09.21 (Orbview-4) and 2003.06.26 (Orbview 3).
American civilian surveillance satellite. One launch, 1997.08.01. The SeaStar satellite carries the SeaWiFS instrument which was designed to monitor the color of the world's oceans.
Army Ordnance / California Institute of Technology. Originally part of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory .
Headquarters of an RVSN Division, 1961-1981, probably operating R-12 launchers. The division then moved to Barnaul. The base was used for deployment of two R-1/R-2 launchers in the 1950's.
Orel.
In the late 1990's the Russian space industry undertook the Orel programme to evaluate technology for future launch vehicles. The goals included evaluation of possible concepts for a future Russian launcher, reusable launch vehicle key technology research and analysis of "X-vehicle" flight demonstrators for technology validation.
Orel.
In the late 1990's the Russian space industry undertook the Orel programme to evaluate technology for future launch vehicles. The goals included evaluation of possible concepts for a future Russian launcher, reusable launch vehicle key technology research and analysis of "X-vehicle" flight demonstrators for technology validation.
Russian winged orbital launch vehicle. This preferred near-term configuration was a semi-reusable vertical takeoff/horizontal landing two stage launch vehicle. It would use a flyback booster, expendable second stage, and a small manned spaceplane. This was preferred to the Orel V3, which was essentially the earlier MMKS/OK-M1 system with a flyback booster, expendable core tank, and small spaceplane with recoverable main engines.
Russian winged orbital launch vehicle. Fully reusable vertical takeoff, horizontal landing two stage to orbit concept. Abandoned in favor of Orel V6.
Russian winged orbital launch vehicle. Vertically launched two stage to orbit concept consisting of horizontal landing booster, vertical landing orbiter. Abandoned in favor of Orel V6.
Fully reusable vertical takeoff / horizontal landing single stage to orbit launch vehicle. The preferred long-term alternative of the Russian Orel launch vehicle study of the 1990's.
Russian VTOVL orbital launch vehicle. Fully reusable vertical takeoff / vertical landing single stage to orbit. Concept abandoned in favor of Orel V6 by 1998 due to engine reliability concerns. Version with Lox/LH2 propellants.
Russian VTOVL orbital launch vehicle. Fully reusable vertical takeoff / vertical landing single stage to orbit. Concept abandoned in favor of Orel V6 by 1998 due to engine reliability concerns. Tripropellant Lox/Kerosene (RG-1)/LH2 version.
Oreol.
Code name for DS-U2-GKA earth magnetosphere satellite.
Oreol-3.
Alternate designation for AUOS technology satellite.
ATEF solid rocket engine.
OREX.
Japanese re-entry vehicle technology satellite. One launch, 1994.02.03. NASDA ballistic capsule used to test materials and acquire data related to atmospheric re-entry for use in design of Japanese HOPE spaceplane. Launch vehicle H-2.
American ultraviolet astronomy satellite. One launch, 1996.11.19. ORFEUS was a German astronomical satellite. It was deployed by the shuttle remote manipulating system arm and retrieved after six days of free flight.
Orient Express.
Manufacturer's designation for X-30 ssto winged orbital launch vehicle.
French design for a scramjet-powered horizontal takeoff / horizontal landing, single stage to orbit vehicle.
Astrotech solid rocket engine.
Orion.
Alternate designation for Improved Orion-1 rocket stage.
Orion.
Code name for Zenit-4MT military surveillance satellite.
Nuclear-pulse drive launch vehicle seriously developed by General Atomics in the United States from 1955-1965. The design allowed vast payloads of hundreds of tons to be hurled to the planets. By 1958 the Orion team saw themselves in direct competition with Von Braun's chemical rockets. They hoped to a land a huge manned expedition on Mars by 1964 and tour the moons of Saturn by 1970. However politically NASA would not argue for the exception to the 1963 Nuclear Test Ban Treaty necessary to allow firing of nuclear explosions in space.
American manned spacecraft. In development. NASA's Crew Excursion Vehicle for the 21st Century
Domestic communications satellite network.
American agency. Orion Satellite Systems, USA.
Aerojet solid rocket engine. 13 kN. Improved Orion motor was a bi-phase propellant system with thrust levels of 84.5 kN during the first four seconds of motor burn, trailing off to 13.3 kN at burnout at 25 seconds.
Orion 38.
Manufacturer's designation of Pegasus-3 Solid rocket engine.
Orion 50.
Manufacturer's designation of Pegasus-2 Solid rocket engine.
Solid propellant rocket stage. Loaded/empty mass 3,370/345 kg. Thrust 118.20 kN. Vacuum specific impulse 292 seconds.
Orion 50S.
Manufacturer's designation of Pegasus-1 Solid rocket engine.
Solid propellant rocket stage. Loaded/empty mass 14,020/1,868 kg. Thrust 484.91 kN. Vacuum specific impulse 294 seconds.
Solid propellant rocket stage. Loaded mass 15,000 kg.
Solid propellant rocket stage. Loaded/empty mass 17,934/2,886 kg. Thrust 589.01 kN. Vacuum specific impulse 293 seconds.
OSC solid rocket engine.
American manned spacecraft module. Orion re-entry vehicle (crew module). A 25% scale-up of the Apollo capsule of the 1960's.
American nuclear pulse test vehicle. The modified test article for Project Orion had a total mass of 105 kg. The outer shell and upper shock absorber of the original design were deleted and a parachute recovery system added.
American manned spacecraft module. Orion launch abort system; consists of launch escape tower, adapter cone, and boost protective cover. Provides emergency crew escape during early boost phase of ascent to orbit.
American manned Mars expedition. Study 1968. Nuclear pulse spacecraft for manned mission to Mars.
American nuclear-powered orbital launch vehicle. Nuclear-pulse drive launch vehicle seriously developed by General Atomics in the United States from 1955-1965. The design allowed vast payloads of hundreds of tons to be hurled to the planets. By 1958 the Orion team saw themselves in direct competition with Von Braun's chemical rockets. They hoped to a land a huge manned expedition on Mars by 1964 and tour the moons of Saturn by 1970. However politically NASA would not argue for the exception to the 1963 Nuclear Test Ban Treaty necessary to allow firing of nuclear explosions in space.
American nuclear pulse orbital launch vehicle. The baseline planetary version of Orion would have launched from the earth's surface. It would have been bullet-shaped, 41 m in diameter and about 50 m high.
American manufacturer of rocket engines. Orion Propulsion, USA.
American manned spacecraft module. Orion spacecraft adapter. Transition section between Service Module and Ares booster.
American nuclear pulse orbital launch vehicle. The final iteration of the Orion design was a nuclear pulse propulsion module launched into earth orbit by a Saturn V. The 100 tonne unit would have had a diameter of 10 m to match that of the booster. This would limit specific impulse to 1800 to 2500 seconds, still two to three times that of a nuclear thermal system.
American manned spacecraft module. Orion service module. Masses estimated based on delta-V released by NASA.
American sounding rocket. The Orion was a single stage, unguided, fin stabilized rocket system which used a surplus US Army Hawk surface-to-air-missile rocket motor having a dual thrust propellant grain. Three fins on the aft end of the motor were canted to roll the vehicle at four revolutions per second at burnout for stability. Improved performance could be obtained by using a Nike booster stage. Payload 38 kg to 88 km or 68 kg to 71 km.
American nuclear pulse orbital launch vehicle. The ablative version of Dyson's starship would be smaller and faster then the heat sink version. It would have a mass of 100,000 tons unloaded and be equipped with 300,000 one megaton bombs.
American nuclear pulse orbital launch vehicle. The heat sink version of Dyson's starship would have a pusher plate made of copper. This would require 5 million tonnes of exposed surface to absorb and then reradiate 1 megaton of bomb energy. The plate would have to be 20 km in diameter.
American nuclear pulse test vehicle. The original test article for Project Orion had a total mass of 133 kg including its bullet-shaped outer shell.
Argentinan sounding rocket. Technology test vehicle, used to verify rocket motor and technologies for Orion-2 sounding rocket.
IIAE solid rocket engine.
Argentinan sounding rocket. Single-stage solid-propellant sounding rocket first launched in 1965. The rocket could reach a top speed of 548 m/s.
IIAE solid rocket engine.
Romanian manned spacecraft. Study 2004. X-Prize suborbital ballistic spacecraft concept of Aeronautics and Cosmonautics Romanian Association. Reached the stage of engineering tests by 2003.
Russian space suit, operational 1978. The Orlan spacesuit was used for Russian EVA's on Salyut, Mir, and the International Space Station. It was designed by the Zvezda OKB, and derived from the Kretchet suit intended for use on the lunar surface.
American manufacturer. Martin Orlando, Orlando, FL, USA.
Orlets.
Code name for Yantar-6K military surveillance satellite.
Sixth-generation reconnaisance satellite. After returning multiple film capsules, the spacecraft is deorbited.
Orlets-1.
Alternate designation for Yantar-4K1 military surveillance satellite.
Russian military surveillance satellite. 8 launches, 1989.07.18 (Cosmos 2031) to 2006.09.14 (Cosmos 2423). Multi-purpose satellite, designed for both close-look and survey missions, equipped with a panoramic camera, equipped with 8 film return capsules.
Russian military surveillance satellite. 4 launches, 1986.10.22 (GVM) to 2000.09.25 (Cosmos 2372).
ORM-.
Rocket motor (designation numbering series) (Russian abbreviation)
Danish earth magnetosphere satellite. One launch, 1999.02.23.
Oryol V3.
Alternate designation for OK-M1 manned spaceplane.
OS.
Russian manned space station. Study 1960. In 1960 Korolev proposed a military orbital station (OS), with a crew of 3 to 5, orbiting at 350 to 400 km altitude.
OS.
Family of spacecraft.
Russian manned space station. Reached mock-up stage, 1965.
Russian manned space station. Study 1969. By 1969 the giant OS-1 space station had evolved to this configuration.
Russian manned lunar orbiter. Study 1969. A version of the OS-1 station was proposed for use in lunar orbit. No other details beyond this sketch.
Russian manned space station. Study 1962. On 10 March 1962 Korolev approved the technical project "Complex docking of spacecraft in earth orbit - Soyuz". This contained the original Soyuz L1 circumlunar design.
OSC.
First name of McLean
OSC.
American manufacturer of rockets, spacecraft, and rocket engines. Orbital Sciences Corporation, USA.
Amateur radio satellite network. For over a third of a century a series of OSCAR satellites have been launched in a variety of configurations and by many nations.
International series of amateur radio communications satellites. Operational, first launch 1961.12.12. Launched in a variety of configurations and by many nations.
American agency. Orbiting Satellite Carrying Amateur Radio, USA.
Osi.
Osi, Albert German expert in rockets during World War II. As of January 1947, last known to be working at Bad Krouznach.
OSK-.
Optical orientation periscope (designation numbering series) (Russian abbreviation)
OSO.
American solar satellite. 9 launches, 1962.03.07 (OSO 1) to 1975.06.21 (OSO 8). The Orbiting Solar Observatories, developed for NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, were designed primarily as stabilized platforms for solar-oriented scientific instruments.
Russian manned balloon. Flown 1934.
OSSA.
Office of Space Sciences and Applications
OSSE.
Oriented Scintillation Spectrometer Experiment (on CGRO)
OST.
Quality Assurance System
Ostashev, Yevgeni Ilich (1924-1960) Russian officer. First Directorate Chief of Baikonur 1956-1960. Died in the Nedelin catastrophe.
Ostrander, Don Richard (1914-1972) American USAF officer, director of NASA launch vehicle programs and Saturn project, 1959-1961; vice commander USAF BMD 1961-1965.
Japanese technology satellite. One launch, 1970.02.11, Ohsumi 5. Engineering test for the launching of scientific satellites. Injection point 29.7 N, 145.8 E.
Oswald, Stephen Scott (1951-) American test pilot astronaut. Flew on STS-42, STS-56, STS-67.
OTA.
Office of Technology Assessment; or Optical Telescope Assembly (on Hubble Space Telescope)
OTDA.
Office of Tracking and Data Acquisition
OTHB.
Over The Horizon Backscatter
OTK.
Special Technical Commission (Russian abbreviation)
Italian manufacturer. OTO Melera, Italy.
OTR-.
Mobile rocket (Russian abbreviation)
OTR-22.
OTR-23.
$200 million was spent from 1975-1987 by Lutz Kayer in a serious attempt to develop a low-cost satellite launcher using clusters of mass-produced pressure-fed liquid propellant modules. The project was finally squelched by the German government under pressure from the Soviet and French.
N2O4/Kerosene propellant rocket stage. Loaded/empty mass 1,500/150 kg. Thrust 26.96 kN. Vacuum specific impulse 297 seconds. Clustered to form Otrag launch vehicles. Pressure-fed, using cheapest possible propellants. Injection pressure: 40 - 15 bar; Thrust control: 100% - 40 %; Pressurization: Compressed air 66% tank filling in blow-down mode; Injector: Radial like on like; Chamber cooling: Ablative phenolic; Material of injector, valves, bulkheads: AlMg5; Material of cylindrical tank sections: cold rolled low carbon stainless steel.
Otrag N2O4/Kerosene rocket engine. 27.5 kN. First and upper stages of low-cost booster. Out of production. Isp=297s. Pressure-fed, using cheapest possible propellants. Injection pressure: 40-15 bar; thrust control: 100-40 %. First flight 1977.
German manufacturer of rocket engines and rockets. Orbital Transport-und-Raketen Aktiengesellschaft, Germany.
OTRAG Libya.
Alternate name for Tawiwa launch site.
OTRAG Zaire.
Alternate name for Kapani Tonneo launch site.
OTS.
European communications technology satellite. Study 1978. Communications experiments satellite of the European Space Agency.
Otsek komponentov dozapravki.
Russian name (component module) for Progress M OKD manned spacecraft module.
German manufacturer of rocket engines. Ottobrunn, Germany.
Ottobrunn lox/lh2 rocket engine. 300 N. Upper stages. Developed 2000. Isp=415s - highest value ever achieved in Europe for an engine of such small size.
OTV.
American space tug. Studied 1985-1989. The Orbital Transfer Vehicle was reusable space tug, powered by Lox/LH2 engines and equipped with an aerobrake allowing it to be returned for refueling and reuse at an orbiting space station.
Category of spacecraft.
Category of spacecraft.
The Outer Space Treaty prohibited deployment of nuclear weapons in space.
The emanation of gas from a material. This process is usually enhanced in vacuum.
American manned space station. Study 1958. In 1958, the year after Sputnik 1, Krafft Ehricke, then with General Dynamics' Convair Division, designed a four-man space station known as Outpost.
American manned lunar base. Study 1987. Former astronaut Sally Ride was asked to head a task force to formulate a new NASA strategic plan in August 1986.
This low-rent bar was the astronaut hangout in Houston. It was just a shack with an unpaved parking lot, filthy inside, but covered with astronaut photos and a place that preserved their privacy. The owner died in 1995, before seeing the place semi-immortalized as a backdrop in the films Space Cowboys and Rocketman. The place was "improved" under new management, but retained its filthy interior and decor.
Ouyang Ziyuan Chinese geochemist. Leading Chinese authority on extraterrestrial material.
OV.
Orbital Vehicle
OV-099.
Manufacturer's designation for Challenger manned spaceplane.
OV1.
American earth magnetosphere satellite. 27 launches, 1965.01.21 (OV1-1) to 1971.08.07 (OV1-21P).
OV-101.
Manufacturer's designation for Enterprise manned spaceplane.
OV-102.
Manufacturer's designation for Columbia manned spaceplane.
OV-103.
Manufacturer's designation for Discovery manned spaceplane.
OV-104.
Manufacturer's designation for Atlantis manned spaceplane.
OV-105.
Manufacturer's designation for Endeavour manned spaceplane.
OV2.
American earth magnetosphere satellite. 6 launches, 1965.10.15 (OV2-01) to 1968.09.26 (OV2-05). OV2 satellites were built for the USAF Office of Aerospace Research, and flew as secondary payloads on Titan IIIC test flights.
OV3.
American earth magnetosphere satellite. 6 launches, 1966.04.22 (OV3-01) to 1967.12.05 (OV3-06). The OV3 GUS General Utility Satellite were built for the Air Force as part of the OV3 satellite series.
OV4.
American technology satellite. 3 launches, 1966.11.03 (OV4-03) to (OV4-01T). Whispering gallery experiments.
OV5.
American earth magnetosphere satellite. 8 launches, 1967.04.28 (OV5-03) to 1969.05.23 (OV5-09). OV5 was a version of the USAF Environmental Research Satellites dedicated to radiation research and VLF plasma wave detection.
Ovchinin, Aleksei Nikolaevich (1971-) Russian pilot cosmonaut, 2006-on. Major, 70th Seregina Special Flight Test Regiment RGNIITsPK
The Overberg Test Range (OTR) was developed by the Houwteq organization in the 1980's as part of South Africa's ballistic missile and R5b space program. It was located at the southernmost tip of Africa on the south-eastern coast of the Western Cape at Latitude 34 deg 35 min S and Longitude 20 deg 19 min E. The facility had a total area of 43,000 hectares.
Overhage, Carl FJ (1910-1995) American physicist, director of Lincoln Laboratories 1957-1964.
Overmyer, Robert Franklin 'Bob' (1936-1996) American test pilot astronaut. Flew on STS-5, STS-51-B.
Owl.
American earth ionosphere satellite. 2 launches, 1967.05.18 (Transit 16) to 1967.09.25 (Transit 17).
OWN.
Orbital Workshop (Skylab space station) .
OWS.
Orbital Workshop
A substance that combines with another to produce heat and, in a rocket, hot gases of combustion thrust.
OXM.
Oxamide