Size Matters? At least not in space. Talk later about the height of an astronaut, if NASA has a specific preference for choosing its crews.
Traveling into space has its specific physical requirements, such as a perfect vision, maximum resistance to carry out any work and an enormous anaerobic capacity.
But, Is there a problem with the height of the selected people?
Isaac Mensah, NASA Robotics engineer and crew instructor, explained that the agency has not set height limits for astronauts. However, Mensah points out, “the limiting factor is the launch vehicle.”
“For the astronauts traveling in the Soyuz vehicle, the maximum height is 1.90 meters (…) The problem with height for astronauts is twofold. First, you have to fit the vehicle you’re taking off in, and you have to fit the suit you launch and land in,” adds Mensah.
Going into space gives a person more height
as we have discussed in previous issues of FayerWayer, being in space a person can grow much more, due to microgravity.
This decompresses the spine of an astronaut by a few centimeters. So to all this the person who travels to space must adapt.
The best thing is that SpaceX and Blue Origin flights have different cabin configurations, so the chosen astronauts won’t have as many problems. Even the space suits that will be used on Artemis will also be adaptable.
so the height it is not a limitation.
The tallest and shortest astronauts who traveled to space
Who is the tallest astronaut to have traveled in space? Are two: Jim Wetherbee and James van Hoften. Both measured 1.93 meters at the time of their missions.
While “Ox” Van Hoften did it between 1984 and 1985, Wetherbee was in space between 1990 and 2002.
And who was the smallest person to travel? Nancy Currie, which measures 1.52 meters. The American made her first mission in 1993, being in charge of operating the Canadarm (Robotic Arm of Space Shuttle) until 2002.