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The temperature inside Chandrayaan-1, India’s first moon mission, has gone beyond the 50 degree centigrade mark, forcing Indian space scientists to think about ways to cool down the craft. Only 9 of the 11 payloads have been activated and the activation of the other two has been put in temporary abeyance due to the increased temperatures inside the craft.

The scientists attributed the rise in temperature to the Lunar Summer.  ”Now the moon, our satellite and the sun are in same line this means our craft is receiving 1,200 watts of heat from the moon and 1,300 watts from the sun per meter square,” said M Annadurai, project director of Indian’s moon mission.

If the temperature continues to rise, there is every possibility that the instruments inside the craft will cease to function.  As such, the various equipments are now being used sparingly, ISRO reports said.

As a last resort, Scientists may raise the orbit of Chandrayaan-1 to cool it down. It is presently in an orbit 100km from the moon.

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