The annual Sisters in Skydiving boogie blasted off June 30-July 1 at Skydive Spaceland–Dallas in Whitewright, Texas. For the event titled “SISters in Space,” the star-studded organizer lineup included skydiver and astronaut Mary Ellen Weber, as well as Lacey Breaux, Erin Kruth and Genifer Oliver for belly flyers and Nicole Black and Vanessa Meyer for freeflyers. Weber, a former NASA astronaut and one of only 59 women to have gone into space, detailed her career progression, NASA training and missions (one in 1995 while sending a satellite into orbit and a second in 2000 to the International Space Station). Weber illustrated the importance of mentoring, and the women left feeling inspired to follow their dreams.

During the weekend, the participants enjoyed winning fantastic prizes graciously donated by Aerodyne Research, Bev Suits, Blue Skies Magazine, Larsen & Brusgaard, Ouragan Suits, United Parachute Technologies and Vertical Suits. The new jumpers were thrilled to receive the prizes and will be sporting their new gear around the DZ soon! Astronauts and aliens came together during the dance party Saturday evening. Local SIS member and professional trivia hostess Lyndsey Luther quizzed the crowd with space-themed trivia. Breaux’s trivia (and 4-way) team Swiftish dominated trivia and took home a prize package from UPT. A pod of blue aliens invaded the costume contest and took the prize, provided by Blue Skies and the drop zone, for best costume.

On Sunday, nine participants completed an all-female star, following in the footsteps of Women’s Star Crest Recipient legends who completed the first 8-woman star back in 1969. Of the nine women on the jump, three had fewer than 100 jumps and three more had fewer than 200 jumps. The new recipients were thrilled to join the historic sisterhood of the Women’s Star Crest Recipients.

Vanessa Meyer | D-33756
Dallas, Texas