Naming of Chandrayaan-3 landing site against International Astronomical Union norms: AIPSN

NEW DELHI: The All India Peoples Science Network (AIPSN) has requested the government to reconsider its naming of the Chandrayaan-3 landing site as “Shiv Shakti Point,” since this “appears to run counter to the naming convention of the International Astronomical Union”. The statement comes after Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday announced the decision to name the place where lander 'Vikram' touched down on the lunar surface as "Shiva Shakti Point".

The IAU requires that features of the moon be named after astronauts or scientists including physicists, mathematicians who have contributed to this field, eg. Aryabhata and Homi Bhabha, the AIPSN said. In this regard, it urged the Government to propose such a name “as would conform to IAU norms and therefore gain international acceptance”.

Making history, ISRO's Chandrayaan-3, which had a total budget of approximately Rs 615 crores, successfully soft-landed on the moon on August 23.

On Saturday, PM Modi flew down to Bengaluru to meet the Indian Space Research Organisation scientists. Besides naming the lander Vikram touchdown point as ‘Shiva Shakitu Point’, the prime minister also announced the place where the Chandrayaan-2 lander crash-landed on the Moon's surface in 2019 would be known as "Tiranga Point". He further said that August 23 will be celebrated as ‘National Space Day’.

On the naming of Chandrayaan-3 landing site, ISRO chairman S Somanath said: "We are very happy to know the naming of the sites 'Tiranga' and 'Shiv Shakti'."

Also read | Chandrayaan-3 Moon Landing: August 23 to be celebrated as 'National Space Day', says PM Modi

India's space policy

The success of the Chandrayaan-3 mission comes at a time of increased international interest in exploration of the Moon, including possible establishment of permanent or long-term crewed stations on the Moon or in orbit around it, the group said.

It further pointed out that the Treaty on Principles Governing the Activities of States in the Exploration and Use of Outer Space, including the Moon and Other Celestial Bodies (1967), notes that “exploration and use … shall be carried out for the benefit and in the interests of all countries and shall be the province of all mankind.” It further declared that “outer space…is not subject to national appropriation by claim of sovereignty, by means of use or occupation, or by any other means.”

“AIPSN notes with concern that many countries, companies and others are speaking about exploiting their advanced space technology for commercial or strategic benefit. The US-led Artemis Mission explicitly accepts this possibility and, unfortunately, so does India’s new Space Policy which has not been placed or discussed in Parliament as such policies should be,” the statement read.

It called upon the Government to clearly declare that it regards the Moon and other extra-terrestrial bodies “as a common good of all humanity, and that it is opposed to national or corporate exploitation of any resources found in such bodies”.

“India should also press for revitalization of the Outer Space Treaty and setting up of an international regulatory system under the United Nations to ensure that space remains a common good of all humankind,” the AIPSN demanded.