Low Altitude Large Scale Reconnaissance

With about 200,000 entries, StarBriefs Plus represents the most comprehensive and accurately validated collection of abbreviations, acronyms, contractions and symbols within astronomy, related space sciences and other related fields. As such, this invaluable reference source (and its companion volume, StarGuides Plus) should be on the reference shelf of every library, organization or individual with any interest in these areas. Besides astronomy and associated space sciences, related fields such as aeronautics, aeronomy, astronautics, atmospheric sciences, chemistry, communications, computer sciences, data processing, education, electronics, engineering, energetics, environment, geodesy, geophysics, information handling, management, mathematics, meteorology, optics, physics, remote sensing, and so on, are also covered when justified. Terms in common use and/or of general interest have also been included where appropriate.

This compilation probably looks like one of the craziest things a human being could spend his or her time on. Yet nobody would wonder at someone taking a short walk every day - after twenty five years that person would have covered a surprisingly long distance. This is exactly the story behind this list, which appeared first as a few pages within the directory StarGuides (or whatever name it had at that time) and as a distinct sister publication since 1990. The idea behind this dictionary is to offer astronomers and related space scientists practical assistance in decoding the numerous abbreviations, acronyms, contractions and symbols which they might encounter in all aspects of the vast range of their professional activities, including traveling. Perhaps it is a bit paradoxical, but if scientists quickly grasp the meaning of an acronym solely in their own specific discipline, they will probably encounter more difficulties when dealing with adjacent fields. It is for this purpose that this dictionary might be most often used. Scientists might also refer to this compilation in order to avoid identifying a project by an acronym which already has too many meanings or confused definitions.

McDonnell's F-101 Voodoo series was in many ways the most interesting of the 'Century Series' fighter programmes of the 1950s, partly because the type's design and intended mission changed radically during a 40-year career. Originally designed as a fighter-bomber, it was converted to be a reconnaissance aircraft, serving alongside the U-2 and RF-8 Crusaders during the Cuban Missile Crisis and the Vietnam War. Although it gained a reputation as a difficult aircraft to handle, the jet's supersonic speed and newly-developed camera suite enabled it to conduct vital low-altitude photo-reconnaissance missions over heavily-defended target areas. In combat, the RF 101 was usually 'first in-last out' for strike missions. This made it a ready target, with a solo aircraft flying straight and level to gather target photo evidence at low-altitude offering enemy gunners plenty of opportunity to shoot the Voodoo down. This study tells the combat stories of this extraordinary aircraft, highlighting the difficulty of the missions on which it was sent and the courage of its pilots.