LOGISTICS MAINTENANCE SUPPORT FOR MPLM MODULES IN THE FRAME OF ISS OPERATION – OVERVIEW AND LESSONS LEARNED

摘要

The Multi-Purpose Logistics Modules (MPLM's) are the three pressurized logistic modules built by the Italian Space Agency(ASI – Agenzia Spaziale Italiana) to travel on the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Space Shuttlebetween Earth and the International Space Station, transporting experiments, supplies and materials for the astronauts' lifeand the scientific activities and returning cargo to Earth. The MPLM's were designed to support 25 missions each, in twodifferent configurations, active (for freezer-racks) and passive, depending on the environmental requirements of the cargo tobe uploaded. Once attached to the International Space Station (ISS), the MPLM provided habitable space for two astronautsas well as active and passive storage. In view of their typical mission timeline and scenario, the MPLM maintenanceactivities were per-formed on ground, in the frame of a quite complex series of turn-around activities between consecutivemissions. As far as MPLM is concerned, the concept of On-orbit Replaceable Unit (ORU) was replaced by the concept ofLine Replaceable Unit (LRU).Twelve MPLM missions to the International Space Station have been successfully flown with the Leonardo and Raffaellomodules between 2001 and 2011 when Shuttle was retired. Today, the first Module, Leonardo, suitably modified to becomePMM (Permanent Multi-purpose Module) is part of ISS, the other two, Raffaello and Donatello are stored as flight hardwareat Kennedy Space Center.In the frame of the bi-lateral agreement established for MPLM program, ASI not only provided the modules, but alsocommitted to provide to NASA their post-delivery Sustaining Engineering and Logistic support. This activity has beenperformed by Advanced Logistics Technology Engineering Center (ALTEC), as ASI Contractor, organized as EngineeringSupport Center for the provision of engineering support for the entire life-cycle of the MPLM; it has been focused on theMPLM design baseline evolution, the related logistics and maintenance support, including spares and depot maintenance.ALTEC also operated the Italian Space Agency (ASI) Liaison Office at the Kennedy Space Center (KSC) that, through ateam of Resident engineers acting in close coordination with the Engineering Support Center in Torino, provided NASA withon-site frontend support during day by day, extended or round the clock operations and supported ASI in the Payloadsintegration process and in the preparation of the Italian astronauts missions to the ISS.This paper describes how ALTEC performed Integrated Logistics Support (ILS) activities during the 10 years of MPLMoperational utilization, including description of logistic tools developed, and finally outlines the associated lesson learned.