Maintaining a space station

International Space Station partners will face many challenges once assembly is complete-one of which is the maintenance and upkeep of this new satellite.

In addition to the numerous challenges throughout assembly of the International Space Station (ISS), station partners have been preparing themselves for the daunting task of maintaining the station throughout its lifetime. Since construction of such a structure has never been undertaken, it presents unique challenges for station crew maintaining the massive satellite. It also requires the use of many unique diagnostic and repair tools.

Unlike the Space Shuttle, the ISS never returns to the ground. Therefore, all repairs must be made in orbit. Since the station is designed to operate for many years, all repairs must be designed to be permanent. Temporary fixes may prove to be too risky and take more of the crew's time than permanent repairs (the crew operate and maintain station systems).