Multi-Agent 3D Map Reconstruction and Change Detection in Microgravity with Free-Flying Robots

Assistive free-flyer robots autonomously caring for future crewed outposts---such as NASA’s Astrobee robots on the International Space Station (ISS)---must be able to detect day-to-day interior changes to track inventory, detect and diagnose faults, and monitor the outpost status. This work presents a framework for multi-agent cooperative mapping and change detection to enable robotic maintenance of space outposts. One agent is used to reconstruct a 3D model of the environment from sequences of images and corresponding depth information. Another agent is used to scan the environment for inconsistencies against the 3D model. Change detection is validated using real image and pose data collected by Astrobee robots on Earth in a test environment and in space on the ISS. This work outlines the objectives, requirements, and algorithmic modules for the multi-agent reconstruction system, including recommendations for its use aboard future microgravity outposts.