List of spacecraft prefixes

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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

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Prefix  | Meaning  | Purpose

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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).[a]
OK  | Orbital Ship[b] | 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

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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

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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.