Posted: Wed, Jan 3, 2007, 7:28 AM ET (1228 GMT)
An Indian communications satellite went offline for a half-hour Tuesday because of a spacecraft problem linked to solar activity, the Indian space agency ISRO announced. A momentum wheel onboard the Insat 4A spacecraft shut down at around 5:30 am EST (1030 GMT, 4 pm Indian time), causing the spacecraft to lose its pointing lock on Earth, disrupting communications services provided by the satellite as a result. Proper orientation was established a half-hour later. The spacecraft, launched in late 2005, carries 24 transponders, some of which are used by an Indian direct-to-home television service.

Related Links:

•  Launchspace.com article
•  PTI article
•  Indiantelevision.com article
•  ISRO press release