Inventory Management in Orbit on the International Space Station

January 28, 2025 - 11 minutes read

One giant leap towards inventory control on distant worlds.

The International Space Station in orbit

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When Neil Armstrong first walked on the moon 55 years ago, it was considered a marvel of engineering, leadership, and perseverance, and rightfully so. Few observers at the time realized the successful landing was intrinsically linked to inventory management. With no way to replenish fuel, food, water, and other essentials for eight days and 953,000 miles, extensive planning was required to ensure the inventory demands of the Apollo mission and crew were balanced with weight and space constraints.

The relatively short hop to the moon pales in comparison to planned excursions to Mars and beyond, where passengers will become colonists in need of continuous inventory replenishment. With the price tag for sending one pound of cargo to Mars estimated at $1 million, advanced inventory management software will be needed to plan, forecast, and optimize celestial supply chains. 

“We had hundreds of thousands of people all dedicated to doing the perfect job, and I think they did about as well as anyone could ever have expected.” Neil Armstrong

Inventory control on the International Space Station 

The International Space Station (ISS) has become a model for inventory management in orbit, and a test case for more ambitious missions to come, with tens of thousands of items continuously tracked, consumed, and replaced. Barcodes have given way to RFID tags and readers as inventory audits are completed by astronauts on the space station and data is uploaded to ground-based inventory management solutions for analysis. This information supports the planning of commercial resupply missions sent to periodically replenish the ISS and its occupants.

Plans for the exploration and eventual colonization of Mars are well under way, presenting the ultimate supply chain management challenge, with cargo taking two years (or more) to arrive from Earth, and the ability to manufacture new products or supplies on the Red Planet extremely limited. Forecasting and planning tools must be capable of accurately predicting future needs to avoid catastrophic shortages or wasteful overstock conditions on distant worlds.

Challenges of inventory management in space

The basic physics of inventory and supply chain management in space present obvious challenges, with the time and energy required to transport items far exceeding anything we have experienced in the past. Long distances and the potential for unforeseen conditions and emergencies limit the usefulness of systems like just-in-time inventory management that rely on frequent deliveries and minimized inventory levels. At the same time, space travelers with busy agendas will have little bandwidth available for material tracking and organization, even though the consequences of errors and lost items could be considerable. Inventory management in space is also limited by external factors such as:

  • Low (or no) gravity conditions that keep items from remaining stationary
  • Vast distances and time delays between data collection tools and databases
  • Materials that expire or become obsolete in transit from the Earth
  • Radiation, solar flares, meteors, and space debris that can damage spaceships and cargo

Deep space missions will also attempt to minimize waste and reuse materials and supplies whenever possible. This puts the burden on inventory management tools to track items intended for recycling that are scrapped, or items that are repurposed for other functions within the spacecraft.

6 keys to optimizing inventory control in space

As we get closer to expanding warehouse boundaries beyond our home planet, many emerging technologies and practices developed for Earth-bound customers will lend themselves well to users on space stations, transport ships, the moon, and other locations far outside of Earth’s orbit.

1. Coordination with ground teams 

Cloud-based inventory management software is the key to synchronizing data from multiple locations and devices in one centralized location. For space explorers in the foreseeable future, this ultimate source of inventory truth will remain on Earth. The importance of close coordination with ground teams is magnified as the distances and data transmission lags increase. Support teams have the time and resources astronauts lack to analyze inventory usage trends, review data for errors and discrepancies, or help to locate missing items. 

2. Optimized packing and storage 

Optimized warehouse layouts help to minimize floor space requirements, improve inventory access and SKU velocity, and prevent lost or misplaced goods. ISS replenishment missions have become the gold standard for payload optimization, with every cubic inch meticulously planned and packed before each leg of the journey. These missions have taken warehouse efficiency to the next level by utilizing advanced software to ensure no available real estate is squandered.

An emphasis on efficient packaging and storage will be essential for successful Moon and Mars colonization efforts, since floor space on new vessels and outposts will be even more limited and costly to maintain.

I did everything by the numbers. I had checklists upon checklists. If I wasn’t ahead of everybody on my team, I didn’t feel I was doing my job.” Gene Kranz (NASA Flight Director)

3. RFID tags 

The technology behind radio frequency identification (RFID) tags, antennas, and readers allows objects to be located and tracked, even without physical or visual contact. RFID tags are already being used to improve logistics and simplify cycle counts in large warehouses and retail locations. RFID is also a key element of the inventory management system developed for the ISS to manage approximately 130,000 items. This system provides automated item tracking to improve efficiency and reduce the number of misplaced items. NASA is working on a new generation of specialized RFID tags to support a wider range of space missions.

A human walking on another planet

Image source 

4. Contingency planning 

Supply chain contingency planning involves the establishment of backups and alternatives to mitigate issues like material shortages, demand spikes, or natural disasters that interfere with the expected flow of goods. The distances and unpredictability associated with space travel and colonization make it difficult or impossible to quickly switch to alternate vendors or substitute products, even when shortages are critical. Space sustainability and redundancy are important considerations for contingency planning to ensure supply chain hiccups do not become mission or life-threatening. 

5. Demand forecasting 

Forecasting practices have traditionally been part art, part science, but data-driven forecasting tools have been given a rocket-sized boost by AI and machine learning in recent years. Demand forecasting methods combine historical data, statistical techniques, and market analysis to ensure forecasts are as accurate as possible. The risk of shortages and overstock conditions are reduced, along with their associated costs and logistical challenges. The ISS and other complex missions may convey a sense of predictable consumption, but the dynamics and uncertainties of space travel make demand forecasting a mandatory practice. 

6. Mobile inventory management 

Mobile inventory management has redefined retail, distribution, and warehouse management practices by providing users access to real-time inventory information from their devices and tablets. At the same time, mobile order management software and point of sale (POS) platforms have extended these benefits directly to customers in the field or on the showroom floor. Mobile software and apps also allow users to receive important updates, approve changes, or record transactions from wherever they are.

Space exploration is taking mobile inventory management to the next level, with benefits and applications including:

  • Personalized communication with Earth-based systems
  • Ready access to inventory data and alerts in confined spaces
  • Reduced upfront hardware costs and ongoing maintenance
  • Streamlined inventory auditing and cycle counting practices

Inventory management in orbit: Final thoughts 

Scientists already understand how the sustainable supply chains, waste treatment processes, and agricultural technologies we develop to improve life on Earth will also pay huge dividends as we continue to explore the solar system. Warehouse and inventory management software solutions are additional examples of advanced technology with universal benefits. These tools deliver the essential tracking, reporting, and analytical capabilities needed to ensure the right materials will be available when our space pioneers need them.

Agiliron offers a comprehensive software suite encompassing inventory management, warehouse management, POS, and full-featured customer relationship management (CRM). Cloud-based software and mobile-friendly apps put real-time inventory data at your fingertips, while mobile point of sale solutions allow you to sell in more places while managing from one.

If space truly is the “final frontier,” advanced inventory management software is destined to become a key enabler of efficiency and organization throughout the galaxy. Contact us today and allow our solution experts to explain how our modular software can propel your business to greater heights.