Shiv Shakti Point (Space & Defence Sectors)
Shiv Shakti Point (Space & Defence Sectors)
Why In News:
Scientists have found that the soil at Shiv Shakti Point, the landing site of Chandrayaan-3, is chemically close to a Lunar meteorite that hit Antarctica.
This finding establishes a direct compositional link between in-situ lunar surface data and lunar material found on Earth.
What is Shiv Shakti Point?
The official name given to the landing site of Chandrayaan-3's Vikram Lander on the Moon.
Location: Near the lunar South Pole at approximately 69.37°S, 32.35°E.
Date of landing:23 August 2023, India became the first nation to successfully land near the Moon's South Pole.
Key Facts for Prelims
Chandrayaan-3 Mission: India's third lunar exploration mission. It comprised a Lander Module (Vikram) and a Rover (Pragyan).
India became the 4th nation to land on the Moon (after the USA, USSR, China) and the first to land near the South Pole.
Moon's South Pole significance: Presence of water ice in permanently shadowed craters, crucial for future human habitation and fuel production.