Out of space
Using RFID, simulation and other IE methods to control inventory for NASA
By Erick C. Jones, Maurice D. Cavitt and Angela Garza
Inventory accuracy is critical for NASA astronauts in space. In 2004, astronauts on the International Space Station (ISS) nearly had to leave because consumables replenishment was uncertain. Researchers at the RFID Supply Chain Lab (RFSCL) in the University of Nebraska’s Department of Industrial Engineering decided to tackle this problem.
Optimizing inventory policies with technologies such as radio frequency identification (RFID) can improve inventory control. Discrete-event simulation can demonstrate the impacts of real-time inventory policy in space, and how real-time inventory control can impact life on Earth.
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