Engineering Challenges to the Long-Term Operation of the International Space Station (2000)

Summary: This study of the engineering challenges posed by long-term operation of the International Space Station (ISS) shows that the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and the ISS developers have focused almost totally on completing the design and development of the station and completing its assembly in orbit. Therefore, many of the issues and opportunities related to long-term operations have not been addressed thoroughly by NASA except as they apply to the more immediate tasks of ISS assembly. Despite this near-term focus, the committee found no major engineering problems with the design of the ISS that would adversely affect long-term operations. Most of the deficiencies can be corrected with procedural changes and equipment or software upgrades.