Thiruvananthapuram: Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) chairman S Somanath on Sunday said that there was no controversy over the naming of India's Chandrayaan-3 landing point on the moon as ‘Shiv Shakti’ adding that the nation has the right to name the place.
After conducting prayers at the Sree Pournamikavu Temple, he told reporters that science and belief are two different entities and there was no need to mix the two.
"Several other countries had put their names on the moon and it has always been the prerogative of the nation concerned," Somanath said.
"India is the first country to land its rover on the south pole of the moon. The surface is very tricky with mounts and valleys and even a minor calculation error would lead to the lander failing in the mission," he said.
Somanath said the photographs taken by the rover will take time to reach the ISRO stations and added that ISRO has sought the support of ground stations of the US, the UK and Australia for this.
He further said expedition to the Sun was ready and the launch date would be announced soon.
The ISRO chief reached Thiruvananthapuram on Saturday after the successful launch of the lunar mission, Chandrayaan-3 on the surface of the moon on August 23.
