Abstract: Usually, it is the duty of ground satellite control centers to provide housekeeping service for on-orbit geostationary satellites. With the evolution in technologies and human cognition, if an on-orbit geostationary satellite can take over the task by itself, it will dramatically reduce the burden bore by ground satellite control centers, along with improving its independent survivability and lowering the entire system operation cost, perhaps being the future of on-orbit satellite management. This paper presents the key items of the housekeeping of a typical on-orbit geostationary satellite and studies algorithms which are used to control it. Then the possibility of autonomous housekeeping for an on-board satellite is discussed here. The result manifests that, even though the limit on orbit parameters acquiring, it is still possible for a satellite to manage itself in a short term without ground attendance or in a long run with a little attendance. Finally we design a prototype satellite, which is capable of serving housekeeping by itself. Taking into account such factors as the obstacle and risk to practically implement the proposal, some methods and measures are presented here. Our study shows that it is practical, based on the currently mature skill on satellite production and control, to produce such satellites with the ability of autonomous housekeeping. It may be an available way out of the dilemma between tough tasks caused by swelling satellites and the shortage of resource of ground satellite control centers.