Chandrayaan-3: PM Modi meets ISRO scientists, announces moon landing site to be named Shiv Shakti

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Saturday, visited Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) scientists in Bengaluru for the first time post the launch of the moon mission Chandrayaan-3.

"There is a legacy of naming the landing site. India has taken the decision of naming the landing site. It will be called 'Shiv Shakti,'" the Prime Minister announced at the meet and greet. He also announced that they had assigned a name to the spot where Chandrayaan-2 landed, which will be known as 'Tiranga Point'.

Modi is at the ISRO Telemetry Tracking and Command Network (ISTRAC), where he greeted scientists and apologised for making them show up early in the day. ISRO Chief S Somanath briefed the Prime Minister on the spacecraft's journey to the moon and the efforts that went into the project.

"I'm sorry for the trouble caused to you, for having come here so early in the morning," Modi said. "But I wanted to come and meet you as soon as possible. Salutes the scientists. I salute your hard work, courage, and perseverance," he added.

The Chandrayaan mission landed on the south pole of the moon - the first ever spacecraft to do so - on Wednesday evening, after 40 days of travel. The lander then released a rover that is currently studying the moon's surface.

"India is on the moon, we have our national pride placed on the Moon," the Prime Minister said.

During the landing, Prime Minister Modi joined the ISRO team at theri Mission Operations Complex (MOX) at ISTRAC virtually from Johannesburg, where he was attending the BRICS summit.