Talk:Cassini–Huygens abbreviations

Suggestions

Remove the following outright:

1. ESA: European Space Agency
2. JPL: Jet Propulsion Laboratory
3. NASA: National Aeronautics and Space Administration (U.S.)
4. RADAR: Radio Detection and Ranging Instrument (Cassini instrument)
5. UTC

DONE Protonk (talk) 09:32, 23 April 2008 (UTC)

The following have their own article and so don't need to be in the glossary:

1. RTG
2. CRAF
3. ASI
4. GC/MS

DONE Protonk (talk) 17:29, 24 April 2008 (UTC)

The following are explained in considerable detail in either the cassini or huygens article:

1. Cassini Plasma Spectrometer (CAPS)
2. Cosmic Dust Analyzer (CDA)
3. Composite Infrared Spectrometer (CIRS)
4. Ion and Neutral Mass Spectrometer (INMS)
5. Imaging Science Subsystem (ISS)
6. Dual Technique Magnetometer (MAG)
7. Magnetospheric Imaging Instrument (MIMI)
8. Radio and Plasma Wave Science instrument (RPWS)
9. Radio Science Subsystem (RSS)
10. Ultraviolet Imaging Spectrograph (UVIS)
11. Visible and Infrared Mapping Spectrometer (VIMS)
12. Huygens Atmospheric Structure Instrument (HASI)
13. Doppler Wind Experiment (DWE)
14. Descent Imager/Spectral Radiometer (DISR)
15. Aerosol Collector and Pyrolyser (ACP)
16. Surface-Science Package (SSP)

DONE Protonk (talk) 17:41, 24 April 2008 (UTC)

That leaves:

1. ACS: Attitude Control Subsystem
2. AFC: AACS Flight Computer
3. ARWM: Articulated Reaction Wheel Mechanism
4. BIU: bus interface unit
5. CAM: Command Approval Meeting
6. CIRS: Composite InfraRed Spectrometer (Cassini instrument)
7. DCSS: Descent Control Subsystem
8. DISR: Descent Imager and Spectral Radiometer (Huygens instrument)
9. DSCC: Deep Space Communications Center
10. DSN: Deep Space Network (large antennas around the earth)
11. HGA: High Gain Antenna
12. ESOC: European Space Operations Centre
13. FSW: flight software
14. HMCS: Huygens Monitoring and Control System
15. HPOC: Huygens Probe Operations Center
16. IBS: Ion Beam Spectrometer (part of CAPS instrument)
17. IEB: Instrument Expanded Blocks (instrument command sequences)
18. ITL: Integrated Test Laboratory - spacecraft simulator
19. IVP: Inertial Vector Propagator
20. OTM: Orbit Trim Maneuver
21. PDRS: Probe Data Relay Subsystem
22. PHSS: Probe Harness SubSystem
23. POSW: Probe On-Board Software
24. PPS: Power and Pyrotechnic Subsystem
25. PRA: Probe Relay Antenna
26. PSA: Probe Support Avionics
27. PSIV: Preliminary Sequence Integration and Validation
28. PSE: probe support equipment
29. RCS: Reaction Control System
30. RFS: Radio Frequency Subsystem
31. RPWS: Radio and Plasma Wave Science (Cassini instrument)
32. RPX: ring plane crossing
33. RWA: Reaction Wheel Assembly
34. SCET: Spacecraft Event Time
35. SCR: sequence change requests
36. SKR: Saturn Kilometric Radiation
37. SOI: Saturn Orbit Insertion (1 July 2004)
38. SOP: Science Operations Plan
39. SSR: Solid State Recorder
40. SSUP: Science and Sequence Update Process
41. TLA: Thermal Louver Assemblies
42. USO: UltraStable Oscillator
43. VRHU: Variable Radioisotope Heater Units
44. WAC: Wide Angle Camera

That is still a large number. Now the question becomes, how many of them are necessary to understand the article itself. Once that is determined (hopefully by someone w/ some specific experience, not me) then they can be added at the end to either cassini or huygens and this article can be deleted.Protonk (talk) 07:46, 18 April 2008 (UTC)

The basic thrust of the above approach doesn't seem right. It seems to be trying to move all abbreviations not currently defined in other Wikipedia articles into some article associated with the abbreviation so that this article can be eliminated. There's nothing wrong with having those definitions in other articles, but that does not serve one of the main reasons for having an article like this one, which is to have a reference list of terms when reading and learning about Cassini and Huygens (or perhaps similar spacecraft). Such a list is not a glossary to be used when reading Wikipedia articles, but rather a reference when encountering the terms in other materials outside of Wikipedia. In this way it is similar to, say, Acronyms in healthcare, List of legal abbreviations, United States postal abbreviations, Booksellers abbreviations, etc. The point to such lists is not just to expand the terms, but to do so in the context of the subject area. This allows it to be used in multiple ways, not just to find a single definition, but to get a list of such for a subject area, and also provides subject area context so that, for instance, the title of the article which shows up in a Google search quickly guides the user to a relevant definition. (A severe problem with some abbreviations is that they have distinct definitions from many topical areas, making searching difficult.) -R. S. Shaw (talk) 03:18, 19 April 2008 (UTC)

::Well, sure, but I moved down the above approach in order to present a solution rather than delete the article (which the consensus seemed to be moving to). I respect the need for lists and categories. In this case there are abbreviations (the ~16 above) which are defined in the associated articles, I don't see the need for them to be there separately. Would you recommend keeping the list and wikifying the contents? If the consensus is that this list be deleted, do your thoughts on the matter change?Protonk (talk) 02:23, 20 April 2008 (UTC)

Ok. I've thought about this some more. I think in a fundamental sense, you have it wrong. This list of abbreviations applies only to one subject (and two articles). The other lists you have shown me, and the rationale you offer for maintaining this list at present, is dependent upon dealing with many more articles. Acronyms in healthcare could inform almost any search on the subject of healthcare. Legal abbreviations are not limited to one or two cases. In this instance, abbreviations are helpful ONLY with respect to Cassini. For example, the acronym CDA would only relate to the Cosmic Dust Analyzer on the Cassini spacecraft. There is no guarantee that other dust analyzers would use the same abbreviation. So I feel that this list here IS fundamentally a glossary for the Cassini and Huygens articles. In that case it is better shrunk and moved than left as a list only referenced by those two articles.Protonk (talk) 02:55, 20 April 2008 (UTC)

Merger

This article has been merged into Cassini. There remain some double redirects, but they are on pages that I am reluctant to edit myself. See here. Protonk (talk) 18:05, 24 April 2008 (UTC)