Spacecraft and Asteroid Thermal Image Generation for Proximity Navigation and Detection Scenarios

Round 1

Reviewer 1 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

1. What is the computation time for the generation of the thermal image? Could the proposed method be applied for on-board navigation? How does the proposed methodology improve the performance of the navigation? The authors mentioned the use of the thermal images for spacecraft navigation but didn’t give the relevant simulation results. Please explain it.

2. Instead of one picture, it is suggested that the Monte Carlo results be given to verify the effectiveness of the proposed method.

Comments on the Quality of English Language

The English is fluent.

Author Response

The authors would like to thank the reviewer for the time dedicated to the revision and for all the comments.

All the comments have been answered in the attached PDF file.

Thanks again

Author Response File: Author Response.pdf

Reviewer 2 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

The article proposes a methodology to create synthetic thermal infrared images enabling the simulation of the infrared camera output given the camera position and attitude. And the methodology has already been used in a real space mission design phase B. The conclusion may solid.  In order to fully demonstrate the reliability of the conclusions, the environmental parameters should be added and the impact of the environmental parameters should be analyzed.  

Comments on the Quality of English Language

English writing has to be revised. For example, Line 242-245, thus..., thus..., therefore. It makes for confusing reading. Another example, Line 121-124, vectors should be bolded. 

Author Response

The authors would like to thank the reviewer for the time dedicated to the revision and for all the comments.

All the comments have been answered in the attached PDF file.

Thanks again

Author Response File: Author Response.pdf

Reviewer 3 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

Major comments attached in the pdf file. However, this is a great work. Once the comments are addressed, I will recommend for publication.

Comments for author File: Comments.pdf

Author Response

The authors would like to thank the reviewer for the time dedicated to the revision and for all the comments.

All the comments have been answered in the attached PDF file.

Thanks again

Author Response File: Author Response.pdf