[Satellite TODAY 09-01-09] The Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) abandoned the Chandrayaan-1 lunar-orbiting satellite after scientists lost control of the satellite and failed to revive communication, ISRO officials announced Aug. 31.
     The agency said the cause of the communications failure is unknown and that an investigation is underway. The loss of Chandrayaan-1 follows an incident in May when the satellite lost a its star sensor instruments and a reported overheating in July that disrupted its operations.
     Despite losing the $80 million spacecraft, ISRO will attempt to track Chandrayaan-1, in cooperation with the United States and Russia, from the surface of the moon. ISRO said it will continue plans to land a rover on the moon in 2011.

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