| ISS | Three-letter abbreviation for the large space station currently in Earth orbit. Its first parts were the Russian control module Zarya, launched November 20, 1998, and the U.S.-built Unity connecting n |
| MOO | Low object in Earth's orbit seen briefly (3) |
| ACRES | Races about in the big space |
| HICKS | He agreed they should "take off, nuke the entire site from orbit. It's the only way to be sure" (5) |
| HFC | Three-letter abbreviation for any of several organic compounds composed of hydrogen, fluorine, and carbon. |
| ETC | Three-letter abbreviation for a two-word term |
| BADCHOLESTEROL | Nickname for the three-letter abbreviation hidden in this puzzle's theme entries |
| SKYLAB | The first U.S. space station, launched into Earth orbit on May 14, 1973. In July 1979 it entered the atmosphere, broke up, and scattered debris over the southeastern Indian Ocean and western Australia |
| LUNA | In 1959, the USSR's ____ 1 was the first spacecraft to escape from the Earth's orbit |
| COREBUSINESS | Company's main activity, and a hint to a different three-letter abbreviation hidden in 19-, 27- and |
| KINGTIDES | In the plural, what is one of the names for the large rise tide at, or soon after, the new moon? (4,5) |
| RINGCYCLE | Musical work in four parts, with its first part opening the Met's 2010-11 season |
| WINDSORCASTLE | Royal residence whose oldest parts were built by William the Conqueror in the 11th Century (7,6) |
| GOLDFISHBOWL | Precious material in the sea is tied to large space for the small swimmers (8,4) |
| COLLEGEDROPOUTS | Bill Gates and Oprah Winfrey, famously, and a hint to some three-letter abbreviations in this puzzle |
| SMOKELESS | In a way, seems OK to describe large space in the front as one without puffers (9) |
| INTERNATIONALSPACESTATION | What ISS stands for, structure in low Earth orbit (13,5,7) |
| SUN | The sun around which the earth orbits and receives its warmth and light |
| PARSEC | Distance at which the mean radius of the earth's orbit subtends an angle of one second of arc (6) |
| CAPTAINKANGAROO | Former kids' show title character named for the large pockets in his coat |
