Take a look at this very slick video describing the maintenance of space megastructures, and the need for space janitors.
(Megastructure Maintenance & Space Janitors)
Science fiction writers had a variety of takes on this idea. Consider the repair robots from The Invincible (1954) by Stanislaw Lem and the repair drones from Neuromancer (1984) by William Gibson. You might enjoy this article Antenna Repairmen In Fact And Fiction as well.
And who can resist the MSE-6 repair droid from Star Wars!
Scroll down for more stories in the same category. (Story submitted 8/27/2019)
Boy Makes Biomimetic Turtle Robot
't came out into plain view. Darkington glimpsed a slim body and six short legs of articulated dull metal.'
Technovelgy (that's tech-novel-gee!)
is devoted to the creative science inventions and ideas of sf authors. Look for
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Timeline, or see what's New.
Tumblin' Tumbleweed Rovers To Eplore Mars
'His sensors out and working, and the whirring of the tape that sucked up sight and sound and shape and smell and form...'
Reflect Orbital Sunlight On Demand
'I don't have to tell you about the seven two-mile-diameter orbital mirrors that circulate around the satellite, making it habitable.'