Just like any profession, space stuff has got its own lingo and one of the best features of that lingo is the way to speak in letters. Take for example the aim of NASA in the ESAS to build a CEV to get to LEO, so that TLI can happen easily and allow easy access with the LSAM; this is in the hopes of setting the stage for easy TMI with the MTV and allowing EVAs on Mars.

Now if you're a normal person, you read the previous sentence and thought you ended up in an eye exam. Or if you heard the previous sentence spoken, you'd wonder why 'NASA (the only one of those you know) is sassy to build a sea, where Leo lives, so that I can allow easy access to do something with a Sam; of course, this is in the hopes that I, and MTV (the one you think you know) can allow easy A's on Mars. You see, the acronyms become so long that (to be brief) one has to abbreviate the abbreviations with more abbreviations; and it must be done ASAP or the whole point is MIA.

Some people think that, just like lawyers write in 'legalese' to keep anyone else from thinking they're a lawyer, rocket scientists and all of their buddies speak 'eye chart' so that people keep saying "well, it's not rocket science or anything."

But there's another reason to it. Take the example from above: it's just a pain in the a$$ to say every word in that sentence. In English, the example tells that "the aim of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration in the Exploration Systems Architecture Study [is] to build a Crew Exploration Vehicle to get to Low Earth Orbit, so that Trans-Lunar Injection can happen easily and allow easy lunar access with the Lunar Surface Access Module; this is in the hopes of setting the stage for easy Trans-Mars Injection with the Mars Transfer Vehicle and allowing Extra-Vehicular Activities on Mars."

Now there are two miracles involved with the previous sentence: the first is to say it in one breath -- the second is to remember what each of those acronyms stands for. As you can see, the latter version of that sentence is two lines longer than the former, and life's way too short to be making it even shorter, thus the acronyms; but after a while, you become so good with them that you forget what they stand for.

And you know what? It's A-OK.

Jason Sherwin, PAO
MDRS Crew 47