SriLankan Airlines has sponsored the travel of Sri Lanka's official representative to Mission ShakthiSAT, a groundbreaking international project that will see 12,000 girls from around the world collaboratively design and build a lunar satellite.
SriLankan Airlines has provided financial support to enable Seneesa Goonewardena and Dr. Sulochana Segera, the ShakthiSAT Ambassador for Sri Lanka, to travel to India for their involvement in Mission ShakthiSAT. Goonewardena was selected as Sri Lanka's official student representative following a competitive national selection process that involved more than 200 schoolgirls participating in specialised STEM education programs focused on space technology. The students completed 21 modules covering CubSAT fundamentals, programming, mathematics, and operational practices, with the program launched in Sri Lanka by Space Kidz India's founder Dr. Srimathy Kesan.
Mission ShakthiSAT represents the world's first global all-girls lunar satellite mission, bringing together approximately 12,000 girls internationally to participate in designing and engineering a 12U lunar satellite. The project involves international collaboration with institutions from multiple countries, including universities in the United States, Brazil, Lesotho, Egypt, and Australia. The initiative aims to foster international unity through education, engineering, and scientific collaboration while developing the next generation of women leaders in aerospace and related fields.
The next phase of the mission is scheduled to take place from August 22 to 31, 2026, at Gautam Buddha University in India. During this period, international student delegations will participate in satellite integration activities, leadership development programs, cultural exchanges, and advanced STEM training. The satellite is targeted for launch between September and October 2026. Speaking on the sponsorship, SriLankan Airlines Corporate Communications Manager Deepal Perera noted the airline's commitment to supporting educational opportunities in aviation and aerospace sectors. Goonewardena expressed that the opportunity at age 18 demonstrates the potential for young girls to pursue ambitious goals, while Dr. Segera emphasised the importance of making STEM education an essential component of Sri Lanka's education system.
