Space Module On-Board Stowage Optimization by Exploiting Empty Container Volumes
This chapter discusses a research activity recently carried out by Thales Alenia Space, to support International Space Station (ISS) logistics. We investigate the issue of adding a number of virtual items (i.e. items not given a priori) inside partially l
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Space Module On-Board Stowage Optimization by Exploiting Empty Container Volumes Giorgio Fasano and Maria Chiara Vola
Abstract This chapter discusses a research activity recently carried out by Thales Alenia Space, to support International Space Station (ISS) logistics. We investigate the issue of adding a number of virtual items (i.e. items not given a priori) inside partially loaded containers, in order to exploit the volume still available on board as much as possible. Items already accommodated are supposed to be tetris-like, while the additional virtual items are assumed to be parallelepipeds. A mixedinteger non-linear programming (MINLP) model is introduced first, then possible linear (MILP) approximations are discussed, and a corresponding heuristic solution approach is proposed. Guidelines for future research are highlighted, and experimental insights are provided to show the efficiency of the proposed approach. Keywords Space cargo accommodation • Container loading problem • Non-standard three-dimensional packing • Virtual items • Tetris-like items • MINLP models • MILP approximations • Heuristics
11.1
Introduction
This study has been motivated by the challenging issue of cargo accommodation in space vehicles and modules. Specifically, we focus on the on-board stowage problem of the International Space Station (ISS, http://www.nasa.gov) with particular reference to the European Columbus Laboratory (http://www.esa.int). The laboratory also provides logistic support for the ISS (consult [6]).
G. Fasano (*) Thales Alenia Space Italia S.p.A., Str. Antica di Collegno 253, 10146 Turin, Italy e-mail: [email protected] M.C. Vola Altran Italia S.p.A., Turin, Italy e-mail: [email protected] G. Fasano and J.D. Pinte´r (eds.), Modeling and Optimization in Space Engineering, Springer Optimization and Its Applications 73, DOI 10.1007/978-1-4614-4469-5_11, # Springer Science+Business Media New York 2013
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G. Fasano and M.C. Vola
A fleet of vehicles is used for transportation, on the basis of the cargo plan provided by NASA, to control the upload/download flow logistic to/from the ISS. The cargo plan is supposed to be repeatedly updated over time, as the whole logistic process continues. If not all planned upload cargo can be accommodated at a given time, then part of it can be temporary crossed off the list and taken into account in further launches. To meet (at least approximately) a given cargo plan, a number of non-trivial three-dimensional packing problems arise. Once the optimal packing solution (that offers the best loading of the listed items) at the current step is obtained, the cargo engineer is still asked to execute a further demanding job. How could the residual space (volume) be suitably exploited? More precisely, we assume that it is allowed, for each container not yet fully loaded, to add a certain number of virtual items (that are not known a priori), by reallocating the ones already accommodated, if necessary. What sort of virtual items could be properly added,
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