No controversy over naming of Chandrayaan-3 landing site: ISRO chief

Somanath said the ISRO has so far got “interesting” data from the Chandrayaan-3 mission and those would be explained in the coming days.

Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) Chairman S Somanath with scientists addresses the media after the successful soft landing of Chandrayaan-3 on the surface of the moon, at ISRO's Telemetry, Tracking and Command Network facility, in Bengaluru. (PTI)

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ISRO chairman S Somanath on Sunday said the space agency has got critical and interesting data from the Chandrayan-3 mission, which would be explained in the coming days.

Addressing the media, Somanath said there is no controversy regarding the Prime Minister naming the Chandrayaan-3 landing site as ‘Shiv Shakti point’.

“The rover is moving as planned. We have been getting very interesting data from the rover which was never obtained in the past. Scientists will explain it in the coming days,’’ he said.

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Regarding the naming of the landing site, he said: “The country has every right to name the landing site. Naming of the landing site is not the first incident. Several Indian names are already there on the moon. We have Sarabhai crater on the moon. Other countries have also named places related to their scientific accomplishment. All places related to even minor experiments would be named. That is a tradition.’’

Somanath said the lunar missions of several other countries had tried to land in the Moon’s south pole. It was very risky considering that the valleys and hills in that pole of the Moon and that sunlight is available only for 14 days. It was very difficult to find a flat area for landing the rover. These are the reasons for so many failures, he said.

Also Read | With Chandrayaan-3, a look at Indians’ waxing and waning relationship with the Moon

“We took the risk because of the scientific potential of the unexplored south pole. There are chances of finding chemical elements and water. After the 14 days of sunlight, the rover and lander would go to a sleeping mode and when the sunlight is back, the system will automatically turn into live mode. If that happens, we would be lucky to get another 14 days. However, it involves a lot of risk elements,’’ he said.

Somanath, who reached here on Saturday, was speaking to the media after participating in special prayers at Sri Bala Tripura Sundari Devi temple at Venganoor near Thiruvananthapuram.

Shaju Philip

Shaju Philip is a Senior Assistant Editor at The Indian Express, where he leads the publication's coverage from Kerala. With over 25 years of experience in mainstream journalism, he is one of the most authoritative voices on the socio-political, religious, and developmental landscape of South India. Expertise, Experience, and Authority Decades of Regional Specialization: Shaju has spent more than two decades documenting the "Kerala Model" of development, its complex communal dynamics, and its high-stakes political environment. Key Coverage Beats: His extensive reporting portfolio includes: Political & Governance Analysis: In-depth tracking of the LDF and UDF coalitions, the growth of the BJP in the state, and the intricate workings of the Kerala administration. Crime & Investigative Journalism: Noted for his coverage of high-profile cases such as the gold smuggling probe, political killings, and the state’s counter-terrorism efforts regarding radicalization modules. Crisis Management: He has led ground-level reporting during major regional crises, including the devastating 2018 floods, the Nipah virus outbreaks, and the Covid-19 pandemic response. ... Read More

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