Statio Shiv Shakti or Shiv Shakti Point is the landing site of Chandrayaan-3, the third lunar mission of Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). The mission's lander Vikram and rover Pragyan landed 600 km from the south pole of the Moon on 23 August 2023. The landing site was named on 26 August 2023 at the ISTRAC headquarters in Bengaluru, after India became the fourth nation to make a successful soft landing on the Moon and also becoming the first country that landed on the lunar south pole. Statio Shiv Shakti is located at the coordinates 69.373°S 32.319°E and lies between the lunar craters Manzinus C and Simpelius N. It has been proposed that the upcoming sample-return mission Chandrayaan-4 also land near the point.
Chandrayaan-3 Lander on Shiva Shakti Point; photographed by Pragyan Rover
The landing point of Chandrayaan-3 is named after the Hindu deity Shiva & Shakti
Chandrayaan-4 is a planned lunar sample-return mission and the fourth mission in the Chandrayaan programme, a series of lunar-exploration missions developed by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). The mission is currently under conceptualisation phase and is slated for launch no earlier than 2028.
Image: Chandrayaan 4 Transfer Reentry Composite Conceptual Image
Image: Chandrayaan 4 Propulsion Descender Ascender Composite Conceptual Image
