Spare parts supply modelling: application to a space station

The work deals with the topic of spare parts management in a space system. The paper is divided into three parts. The first one is dedicated to the characterization of the system structure and presents the particularities related to the spare‐elements procurement. Modelling is the object of the second part. After having exposed the bases of the problem to be solved, a macro‐model is introduced. Each of the three elements of an orbital system, namely ground, flying and transport, is then described with a Petri net. Operation specificities of every element are then listed and integrated into the model. A concrete application of this modelling is given in the last part. It concerns the Columbus laboratory of the International Space Station. A representative function is selected and several supply strategies are evaluated.