Chandrayaan-3 landing site 'Shiv Shakti' clicked by South Korea's Danuri lunar orbiter

Seoul, South Korea

The Indian Embassy in South Korea recently shared an exciting development - South Korea's lunar orbiter, Danuri, captured images of the Vikram lander's landing site on the Moon's surface. The images were taken at the landing site of Chandrayaan-3, known as the 'Shiv Shakti Point,' situated on the Moon's South Pole. The embassy wrote on X social media platform, "Sharing the wonderful snap taken by South Korea’s lunar orbiter Danuri of ‘Shiv Shakti point’- the landing site of Chandrayaan-3 on the South Pole of Moon’s surface."

The Ministry of Science and ICT of the Republic of Korea also marked this occasion by sharing the images, celebrating India's successful landing on the lunar south pole, a first in the history of humankind. In a post, the ministry wrote, "Commemorating India’s successful landing on the lunar south pole for the first time in humanity’s history, Korea’s lunar orbiter #Danuri sent photos of #Chandrayaan-3’s landing site on August 28th."

Captured from lunar orbit

Danuri, orbiting the Moon at an altitude of approximately 100 kilometers, successfully photographed Chandrayaan-3's landing site, offering a bird's-eye view of the lunar surface. This landing site, 'Shiv Shakti Point,' is located approximately 600 kilometers from the Moon's South Pole.

Chandrayaan-3, India's lunar exploration mission, achieved a historic landing on the lunar surface on August 23.

The rover has been diligently conducting extensive research and data collection, with a primary focus on analysing the composition of the Moon's soil and atmosphere.

The Chandrayaan-3 mission commenced on July 14, lifting off from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh. It successfully entered lunar orbit on August 5th, and on August 17th, the lander module separated from the propulsion module.

Danuri's ongoing lunar exploration

Korea's lunar probe, Danuri, has a mission timeline that extends until December 2025. During this period, it will conduct various scientific and technological missions, including photographing potential lunar landing sites and measuring the lunar magnetic field to gain insights into the Moon's origin.

The images captured by Danuri of Chandrayaan-3's landing site represent a significant milestone in international cooperation in space exploration and research. This collaboration shows the shared commitment of nations to explore and understand the mysteries of the lunar landscape.