[Errant]

or if the radiation actually damages the chips etc by changing their atomic structure

It works something like that. Radiation hardening: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radiation_hardening.

[ROCKLOBSTER]

If the Mythbusters can drive a Plymouth Fury by remote control, and considering the DWH folks, these world class engineers should be able to remotely be in there to git-er done.

Maybe the Japanese aren’t allowing Americans and other foreigners in there to help.