Spare Parts Requirements for Space Missions with Reconfigurability and Commonality

Abstract

The logistics resources (in the form of spare parts) for future exploration missions to the Moon and Mars can have significant mass and volume requirements. In this study it is shown that reconfigurable or common parts, that allow use of the same component in dierent mission elements, can be a means of reducing the required number of spares. A model for determining the system availability as a function of spares level is developed for a mission that utilizes elements with reconfigurable or common parts. An explicit consideration of the operating scenario is made which allows for using components from elements that are not operating at a given time. A Mars surface exploration mission is used to illustrate the application of this model. It is shown, for the specific example studied in the analysis, that the same level of system availability can be achieved with 33% - 50% fewer spares if the parts are reconfigurable or common across dierent mission elements.