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Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi had announced on August 26, 2023 that the landing area for Chandrayaan 3’s lunar module would be called Shiv Shakti.
After Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the name “Shiv Shakti” for Chandrayaan 3’s moon lander landing site six months ago, it has now been officially recognised by the internationally acknowledged organisation responsible for naming celestial objects.
International Astronomical Union (IAU) Working Group for Planetary System Nomenclature on Tuesday (Mar 19) approved the name ‘Statio Shiv Shakti’ for the landing site of Chandrayaan’s Vikram lander.
India’s lunar win: Chandrayaan 3 mission
Chandrayaan 3, India’s third lunar expedition, lifted off from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota under the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) on July 14. A month later, on August 23, the Vikram lander and Pragyan Rover successfully made a lunar touchdown. This groundbreaking feat established India as the first nation to land in close proximity to the lunar South Pole and only the fourth to accomplish a controlled landing on the moon.
After exploring the lunar surface for 10 days, both the lander and rover transitioned into sleep mode. Meanwhile, the propulsion module remained in lunar orbit following its separation from the lander.
What does the term Shiv Shakti signify?
Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced on August 26 that the landing area designated for Chandrayaan 3’s lunar module would be referred to as Shiv Shakti.
“In Shiv, there is resolution for the welfare of humanity, and Shakti gives us strength to fulfil those resolutions,” said Modi, while announcing the name.
The IAU’s Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature, which officially published the name, described it as a combination of terms from Indian mythology symbolising the dual nature of masculinity (“Shiva”) and femininity (“Shakti”).
Also watch | Chandrayaan-3 is success: A soft landing for Vikram lander, giant leap for India’s space odyssey
Planetary nomenclature, akin to naming geographical features on Earth, serves the purpose of identifying and referring to specific locations on planets and moons. Established by the International Astronomical Union (IAU) since 1919, this catalogue includes names designated to various sites on celestial bodies, facilitating scientists in locating and describing these features effectively.
(With inputs from agencies)