Three women skydivers are preparing to make history in 2025 by attempting the highest stratospheric skydive ever by a woman. The mission, called Hera Rising, is led by non-profit organization Rising United and is aimed at inspiring girls and women to pursue careers in STEM.
The three skydivers are Eliana Rodriguez, Diana ValerÃn Jiménez, and Swati Varshney. Rodriguez is a first-generation American born to Colombian parents and has been skydiving for over 25 years. She is a seven-time world record holder in large-formation skydiving and is the vice-president of the Women's Skydiving Network. ValerÃn Jiménez is a systems engineer from Costa Rica who has been skydiving for over 10 years. Varshney is a materials scientist from the United States who has been skydiving for over 12 years.
The Hera Rising jump will take place from a balloon gondola in the stratosphere, which is the layer of Earth's atmosphere that is located between 10 and 50 miles above the surface. The jump will be the highest skydive ever by a woman and will break several world records, including the highest freefall from the stratosphere, the fastest freefall by a woman, and the longest freefall time by a woman.
In addition to the record-breaking jump, Hera Rising will also be a educational initiative. The three skydivers will work with Rising United to create educational materials for students about STEM and skydiving. The materials will be available in English and Spanish and will be targeted to students in grades 5-8.
The Hera Rising jump is scheduled to take place in 2025. The exact date and location of the jump have not yet been finalized.