| ADR | Active debris removal |
| ASAT | Anti-satellite (weapon or test) |
| ASI | Italian Space Agency (Italy) Agenzia Spaziale Italiana |
| CAM | Collision avoidance manoeuvres |
| CNES | National Centre for Space Studies (France) Centre National d’Études Spatiales |
| CNR | National Research Council (Italy) Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche |
| CRS | Constant returns to scale |
| CSA | Canadian Space Agency |
| CTNA | National Aerospace Technology Cluster (Italy) Cluster Tecnologico dell’Aerospazio |
| DARPA | Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (United States) |
| DEA | Data envelopment analysis |
| DLR | German Aerospace Center Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt |
| DMU | Decision-making unit |
| EARSC | European Association for Remote Sensing Companies |
| EO | Earth observation |
| ESA | European Space Agency |
| EUMETSAT | European Organisation for the Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites |
| EUR | Euro (currency) |
| GBP | British pound sterling (currency) |
| GDP | Gross domestic product |
| GEO | Geostationary orbit |
| GNSS | Global navigation satellite system |
| GPS | Global Positioning System |
| GVA | Gross value added |
| HHI | Herfindahl-Hirschman Index |
| IADC | Inter-Agency Space Debris Coordination Committee |
| ISO | International Organisation for Standardisation |
| ISS | International Space Station |
| JAXA | Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency |
| JPSS | Joint Polar Satellite System |
| km | Kilometre |
| KRW | Korean won (currency) |
| LEO | Low-earth orbit |
| NACE | Statistical Classification of Economic Activities in the European Community |
| NASA | National Aeronautics and Space Administration (United States) |
| OECD | Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development |
| OOS | On-orbit servicing |
| PMD | Post-mission disposal |
| R&D | Research and development |
| SAR | Synthetic aperture radar |
| SE | Scale efficiency |
| SSA | Space situational awareness |
| SST | Space surveillance and tracking |
| ST | Satellite telecommunications |
| TE | Technical efficiency |
| UCS | Union of Concerned Scientists |
| UKSA | UK Space Agency |
| UN COPUOS | United Nations Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space |
| USD | US dollar (currency) |
| VRS | Variable returns to scale |
| VRT | Variable rate technology |
| VSL | Value of statistical life |
| WMO | World Meteorological Organization |
| WTA | Willingness to accept |
| WTP | Willingness to pay |
Earth’s Orbits at Risk
The Economics of Space Sustainability
