"The launch of Sputnik 1 in 1957 ushered in an exciting era of scientific and technological advancement. As television news anchors, radio hosts, and journalists reported the happenings of the American and the Soviet space programs to millions of captivated citizens, words that belonged to the worlds of science, aviation, and science fiction suddenly became part of the colloquial language. What's more, NASA used a litany of acronyms in much of its official correspondence in an effort to transmit as much information in as little time as possible. To translate this peculiar vocabulary, Paul Dickson has compiled the curious lingo and mystifying acronyms of NASA in an accessible dictionary of the names, words, and phrases of the Space Age." "This dictionary captures a broader foundation for the language of the Space Age based on the historical principles employed by the Oxford English Dictionary and Webster's Third New International Dictionary. Word histories for major terms are detailed in a conversational tone, and technical terms are deciphered for the interested student and lay reader. This is a must-own reference for space history buffs." --Book Jacket.

Brief definitions "intended to be as clear as possible to the non-expert, but accuracy has not been compromised for the sake of readability. Mathematics has been used where necessary to avoid ambiguity."--Intro. Published 1965.

The Cambridge Aerospace Dictionary is an authoritative and accessible reference useful to scholars and enthusiasts alike. This dictionary is an essential tool for professionals involved in the aerospace industry and flight, and for anyone who must read and understand the technical literature of the aerospace industry and about specific air and space craft. It is also an ideal reference for engineering and physics students encountering a subject replete with technical jargon and acronyms. Bill Gunston, one of the most widely read and respected aviation writers, has added more than 5,000 new terms and acronyms to this carefully updated volume. Terms used in the dictionary reflect the diverse and international nature of the aerospace industry and include brief explanations of aerospace materials and organizations. Gunston has scrupulously avoided terms specific to manufacturers, airlines, and armed forces in an effort to encourage clear communication and understanding among professionals.

An updated reference for aviation industry professionals provides comprehensive coverage of more than 10,000 terms, phrases and acronyms as well as helpful appendices that contain the periodic table, the phonetic alphabet and Morse code. Original.