Bangalore: A sudden puff of electro-magnetic radiation caused by a burst of sun spot activity may have knocked off Chandrayaan-1, India's ambitious Rs 400 crore mission to the moon.
Senior scientists monitoring the Chandrayaan-1 here feel that there was an unusual spike in levels of electro-magnetic radiation levels that could have been triggered by sun spot activity.
This hit Chandrayaan-1 and knocked its onboard computer system resulting in the snapping of radio communication links between the spacecraft and the mother station at Indian Deep Space Network at Byalalu near Bangalore.
ISRO had anticipated high levels of electro-magnetic radiation, but what happened on Saturday early morning as the spacecraft emerged from the back side of the moon was an unexpected `accident'. In other words, Chandrayaan-1 just ran into a headlong crash with a massive cloud of highly charged particles caused by sunspot activity.
Every 11 years the sun develops `spots' that let out huge clouds of charged particles that can travel to the outer limits of the solar system. It is known to knock out communication satellites around the earth. These particles do not reach the earth in high doses as the atmosphere enveloping the earth acts as a shield.
Like we usually see with CMEs and spacecraft on Mars, high energy particles could have preceded the solar wind to disable Chandrayaan-I (“ALERT: Geomagnetic K-index of 5”; "Alerts Issued by SEC"; sec.noaa.gov, Threshold Reached: 2009 Aug 30 1618 UTC). Otherwise, the only theoretical evidence to support claims of the great Indian scientists, “A. Our Ozonator’s Preamble for Survival ... 3. ... “Chandrayaan-I Spacecraft Loses Radio Contact” (Indian Space Research Organisation, PRESS RELEASE; spaceref.com, 8/29/09). ... About 3 days after the general GBRWE, “Mars Orbiter Suffers Computer Glitch, Again” (SPACE.com Staff, SPACE.com; news.yahoo.com, 8/27/09). “GBRWE 8/23 - 29/09 ... by Robert Rhodes, The “Ozonator” ... B1. Weeks’ Reporting Period of GBRWE 8/23 - 29/09. ... due to global warming. ... This week’s global warming ration is going to destroy mostly with monster increases in ... dust storms (Earth and Mars), swarms of killer tornadoes (Earth and Mars) ... We should see an increase in coronal holes, sunspots blasted out of the Sun (far<near side), solar flares, solar filaments, solar prominences, ... impaired or killed spacecraft, and/or viral epidemics”” (“GBRWE 8/30 - 9/5/9's Extreme Planetary Warnings for Earthquakes, Volcanoes, and Solar/Terrestrial Flares from Human Activities”; Robert Rhodes, Supplemental; GBRWE 8/30 - 9/5/9, 8/29/09).
Though it was a major concern for the country, I would still say, give the Indian scientists some more time to figure out the exact reason of failure. I believe, we would make it again and next time the scientists will consider all the possibilities of causalities.
It is in the past other country satellites occassionaly got damaged perhaps due to sun spots, and I am sure these days it has been taken into account for all kinds of protective measures by all satellite launching countries including India. This probable reason can be a cause but ISRO need to come out very openly what could be the actual reason for the sudden failure as all Indian people whom are watching and following ISRO's programme with great enthusiam, need to know.
I am sure our scientists will not rule out the actual reason whether it can be a man made failure, or an accident, or other reason. Since India needs to very aggressively follow these programmes first to get clean fuel from moon as aoon as possible with the limited budget ISRO is pursuing these programmes for the countries vertical growth ambitions and remove poverty. We will appreciate clean approach and authentic reasoning to ovecome any kind of impediments.
Sun becomes hyperactive once in 11 years thats correct. But it was not 2009, its going to happen in 2012.
Last one was in 2001 and nxt in 2012.
Please ISRO give us some solid reason, not solar flares.