Jump Load 1 prepares to board a perfectly good airplane.
For no good reason whatsoever, most graduate student members of the MAESTRO Lab decided to spend a morning at Skydive Spaceland (Houston) and make the leap from 14,000 feet together. The activity represented a number of diverse personal victories wrapped up into a most amazing team-building experience.
With 9 MAESTRO members, 2 invited friends, and one NASA research engineer/collaborator, the group of 12 was too large for any one plane and had to be divided into two “loads.”
Full group of skydiving participants (and ground support/photography team). From left to right: Rory McCrum, Anna Burger, Maddie Haas, Kevin Lieb, Elizabeth Miller, Jared Lilly, Darren Hartl, Liam McCue, Mason Ward, Ford Vinson, James Dean, Walker Buckle, Priscilla Nizio, and Adelynn Butler)
Jared Lilly questions his life choices.
Mason Ward celebrates his first jump.
Darren Hartl approaches for a stand-up landing.
James Dean and Anna Burger react to their experiences.
By the time the day was done, most first-timers had already pre-paid for their discounted second jump. MAESTRO will be back again.
[All photos by Adelynn Butler]