Cislunar Space Glossary

Author: Tianjiang Shuo
Website: https://cislunarspace.cn

Cislunar space research spans orbital dynamics, guidance-navigation-control, deep-space mission design, and space-environment modeling, so its terminology is inherently cross-disciplinary. This glossary collects terms ranging from foundational concepts to front-edge topics, grouped by category for easy reference.

The Chinese edition (术语词典) lists every entry in full and is the source text for the English edition. This English edition mirrors it; entries that are not yet translated are being added progressively.

Categories

Fundamentals (86 entries) — reference frames, time systems, physical constants, foundational concepts.
Dynamics & Mathematical Foundations (358 entries) — CR3BP, libration-point orbits, invariant manifolds, perturbation methods, numerical integrators.
Mission Orbits (143 entries) — NRHO, DRO, halo/Lissajous families, transfer trajectories, orbit families grouped by topology.
Navigation Technology & Systems (65 entries) — GNSS, radiometric tracking, autonomous navigation, orbit determination.
Astronomical Observation (24 entries) — sensors, radiometry, star trackers, observation geometry.
Communications (10 entries) — relay architectures, link budgets, lunar far-side communication.
Programs & Projects (18 entries) — Artemis, Moonlight, Queqiao, Lunar Gateway, and other programs.
Other Technologies (10 entries) — cross-cutting terms not tied to a single category.

How to Browse

All entries appear in the sidebar, grouped by category. Use the search box (top of the sidebar) to find a specific term by name, English equivalent, or abbreviation.