Could the International Space Station (ISS) serve as a repair hangar for satellites or a way station for craft headed beyond its orbit?

摘要

Repairing satellites onboard the ISS may prove impractical, but chances are better for the way-station option. The main issue with repair is that a service platform must start in the same orbital plane as the satellite, and the chances are slim that any particular satellite would meet that condition. Even a one-degree orbital plane change to meet a satellite would cost the station nearly 12 metric tons of propellant, and most satellites are much farther inclined to the ISS's orbit than just one degree. Similarly,rnmost satellites do not havernthe propellant available tornchange their own orbitalrnplane, so they cannotrncome to the station.