As part of the world’s first woman-led mission to the edge of space
Our Bureau
Los Angeles, CA
Dr. Swati, an Indian-origin skydiver with about 1,200 career skydives, is amongst the 3 women chosen by Hera Rising, an initiative that aims to send a woman “high into Earth’s atmosphere,” by 2025.
Varshney with a Ph.D. and ancestry in India, is one of the 3 “explorers” on the Hera Rising project. The Hera Rising project is an initiative by the non-profit Rising United, planning to send a woman high into Earth’s atmosphere for the first time.
The other 2 finalists are Eliana Rodriquez and Diana Valerín Jiménez. After 18 months of rigorous training, the selectee will be determined and the other 2 explorers will remain on the team for ground support and educational outreach for the stratospheric opportunity.
Varshney with all her professional expertise in skydiving is now aiming to go even higher transcending the Earth’s atmosphere with this planned dive from the edge of space.
She started her journey into this exciting world with a tandem skydive for fun. After she jumped out of the plane, she felt a sense of stillness as she hurtled toward the earth. As per Swati, “My brain always runs in hyperdrive, and this was the first time I truly felt ‘in the moment’ while everything else melted away. I was immediately hooked on to that feeling and kept on skydiving to chase it.”
Swati loves skydiving because there’s always something new to learn, whether it’s a more advanced skill, a different way to fly, or a loftier goal to achieve. She knows that skydiving will never bore her. As per Swati, “I love skydiving as that makes me use my brain and body together; it’s a great physical outlet for my mental energy.”
Hera Rising, is a global live event of unprecedented nature, as the first ever balloon jump from the stratosphere, the edge of space being done by a woman seeking to break world records.
