THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, INDIA: After the successful launch, the historic Chandrayaan I mission is now facing some real challenges from the moon itself.

According to ISRO chairman G. Madhavan Nair, the temperature inside the satellite had gone up by ten degrees owing to the volatile nature of the moon. The scientists at ISRO are afraid that the temperature raise could hamper some sensitive instruments inside the satellite, which is on a two-year lunar mission.

While delivering the Regent Maharani Setu Lakshmi Bayi Memorial Lecture here on Sunday, Nair said that the scientists are trying to artificially cool the satellite, though it is “a risky mission”.

He said if things work out as per the plan, ISRO would be able to create the first lunar atlas with a picture resolution of below ten metres.  It is expected that the Terrain Mapping Camera would be able to complete the mapping in one and a half years.

Madhavan Nair said the 'Aditya' satellite, which the ISRO is planning to launch soon, will be positioned in the earth orbit and study the sun, and how solar phenomena affects the earth’s ionosphere and atmosphere.