Jithran Ekanayake Becomes First Sri Lankan to Send Experiment to International Space Station

COLOMBO (News 1st) - Jithran Ekanayake has made history by becoming the first Sri Lankan to send an experiment to the International Space Station (ISS). Jithran was part of a successful team that led a momentous biomanufacturing mission, initiated by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA).

DARPA is a research and development agency for the United States Department of Defense, and Jithran is the only Sri Lankan member of the organization. He designed, built, and implemented experiments to meet DARPA's subgoal of evaluating spaceflight impacts on a microorganism that could produce bioplastic.

Jithran's experiment aims to test the effects of spaceflight on a microorganism that can produce a bioplastic, which can be used by astronauts to 3D-print tools for long-duration missions. The primary goal of the human space program is to create a self-sufficient human presence on the moon and Mars. One of the most significant obstacles to achieving this goal is the high cost of transporting equipment from Earth into space. Using micro-organisms like bacteria to produce mission-critical consumables like fuel, plastic, and medicine on location during the mission can provide a novel solution to this problem.

SpaceX launched Jithran's experiments on the 14th of March 2023 from Launch Pad 39A, which was also used for the Apollo 11 mission that took Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin, and Michael Collins to the moon. The experiments will undergo testing at the International Space Station.

This achievement marks the second time a Sri Lankan has sent anything to space in general. Jithran's contribution to this program is significant, as his experiment could play a vital role in enabling astronauts to be self-sufficient for several months at a time without requiring shipments from Earth. 

It should be noted that this achievement is a testament to Jithran's hard work, dedication, and commitment to advancing space exploration technology.