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harpejjist t1_j9vsw32 wrote

seat belts, the launch chairs, the sleeping pods, etc.

The whole place is designed for people within a height range and if you fall out of tha range you won't fit.

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triffid_hunter t1_j9vo3b9 wrote

If you can't reach controls while you're strapped into a seat, you could only ever be a passenger - and that industry is still nascent

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gumol t1_j9vrp5l wrote

aren't most astronauts passengers?

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SnakesInYerPants t1_j9w0qd7 wrote

You know how you still need a licence and to be physically capable of driving when in a self driving vehicle because they can still fail and need you to step in? Same thing here. Except on earth if your self driving car loses control and needs you to step in but you’re unresponsive, most are designed to start slowing down and pulling to the side/parking and if they don’t pull over successfully you’ll still most likely live any accident you get into while it’s slowing down. In space, even a minute of you being unresponsive can result in you getting pulled too far into an orbit where you’ll then either crash into the celestial body or get sling-shot off into deep space. The fuel margins are also so tight that you really don’t have any extra to burn correcting coarse even if you’re not pulled into an orbit.

Astronauts have strict requirements for very good reasons. It’s one of the most dangerous jobs you could get into, right next to being in the emergency response crew for nuclear reactors.

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gumol t1_j9w3xnz wrote

> You know how you still need a licence and to be physically capable of driving when in a self driving vehicle because they can still fail and need you to step in?

every single person onboard of a self driving car has to have a driving license? That's not even true for regular, non self driving cars.

Space Shuttle only had 2 seats for pilots. Rest of the crew were passengers.

Dragon will be able to carry up to 7 people to orbit. They can't all be flying the spacecraft.

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bullett2434 t1_j9wc1kz wrote

Probably best practice for all aboard being able to assist in the event of an emergency though

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SnakesInYerPants t1_j9w4lxi wrote

On earth, if the driver of your self driving bus gets too sick to operate the vehicle or gets hurt in an accident or dies, there are 100s if not 1000s of people who can readily replace them.

On Dragon, if something happens to 1 or both of the designated pilots, there are only 5 people who could replace them.

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ZincNut t1_j9w5ahz wrote

It doesn’t make sense to you that space flight may have at least the same prerequisites as most fun-fair rides?

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Skot_Hicpud t1_j9vs2w9 wrote

You know, if they just designed spacecraft for shorter people they could save millions in fuel costs.

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DeadFyre t1_j9w6eui wrote

Because you have to fit inside the Space Suit and safety harnesses. Nasa isn't going to install a child seat into the Space-X Dragon.

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EmptyKnowledge9314 t1_j9vtsc7 wrote

They are creating vehicles that take tiny numbers of people into space at mind boggling expense (it was $10,000/lb but I don’t know now). The engineering of such things requires parameters; it’s not optional. And it makes no sense to build for the extremes; the vast majority of humans are in a small size range. The cost to build for the people at the ends of the Bell curve would be exorbitant. So they engineer for the 90%.

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Optimized_Orangutan t1_j9vq7zt wrote

They can't put phone books on your chair so you can see over the dash.

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DNathanHilliard t1_j9vqgbl wrote

*trying to think of a good short joke that would apply here*

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MoggTheFrog t1_j9vsi5c wrote

Sounds like you’re coming up short

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DNathanHilliard t1_j9vss4q wrote

Everything I thought of was too much of a reach

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snash222 t1_j9vrypy wrote

Certainly not the place for a tall story.

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WinterGuide98 t1_j9vvphk wrote

I had a few, but they'd never measure up. I can make cheap puns, but came up short on this one

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Jonesdeclectice t1_j9vp4fr wrote

For all you ‘Muricans, 157cm = 61.8” = 5’-1 13/16”.

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molbion t1_j9w050j wrote

So you only have to be ~5’2”? OP must be quite tiny to see this as a big issue.

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mochikitsune t1_j9woll0 wrote

I was about to go do the conversion because I know im very close to that in cm. Turns out I barely make the cut for astronaut height at 157.48cm

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ObligatoryOption t1_j9vtwzy wrote

I'm sure there is also a maximum height so you can fit in. The workable range may have to do with the layout of the instrumentation, but I suspect it's more about the space suits. Those need a large number of life support systems that would each only come in one size, and all of them have to be part of the suit in some workable configuration. Then these suits with a person in them must fit the seats, which must fit the capsule.

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shotsallover t1_j9vwnxe wrote

If I recall correctly, you also can't be over 6ft (183cm). Or at least that was the max in the '90s.

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Jakebsorensen t1_j9w474q wrote

It’s about 6’2” for pilots and about 6’4” for mission specialists now

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LibraS442 t1_j9vwde8 wrote

Think of it as the rollercoasters in a theme park you need to have the minimum height to go inside.

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AbsentThatDay2 t1_j9vxpe0 wrote

You'd think they'd want short people like submariners.

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TravelerMSY t1_j9vz1jx wrote

Just like their equipment has specifications, so do the people.

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kenpocory t1_j9vzekb wrote

Because you have to be this tall to ride this ride?

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space-ModTeam t1_j9xy5ho wrote

Hello u/Ok-Medium-1853, your submission "why should the heigh of astronaut matter 🤔" has been removed from r/space because:

  • Such questions should be asked in the "All space questions" thread stickied at the top of the sub.

Please read the rules in the sidebar and check r/space for duplicate submissions before posting. If you have any questions about this removal please message the r/space moderators. Thank you.

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Medium-Veterinarian3 t1_j9vubbx wrote

no, for nasa to be accepted into the program u have to be at least 147. shuttle pilots have to be at least 162 however.

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sixpackabs592 t1_j9w8auh wrote

well i think there are other reasons than height that might stop you from getting the shuttle pilot position

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Ok-Medium-1853 OP t1_j9w2py1 wrote

R u sure? I read at least 157cm in Google🙄🤨

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DudeWithAnAxeToGrind t1_j9xc24f wrote

According to Google, there are different requirements for different roles. For commander or pilot, it is 158 to 190cm. For mission specialist it is 149 to 193cm. However, if you are aspiring astronaut, do check with NASA first.

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theronimous t1_j9vy3rg wrote

That’s interesting because you would think that little people astronauts would be ideal for space travel since the reduced weight and limited interior space would be optimal for designing efficient space craft.

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Ok-Medium-1853 OP t1_j9w22r3 wrote

Yes you are right to some extent I am 153cm and always dreamed of being an astronaut. This year I want to choose engineering science but I don't know if I should follow my interests or not🥴🤦🏻‍♀️

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ri-mackin t1_j9w0ezx wrote

Short people are famously more affected by gravity, hence why they're shorter. The more gravity you put in a space ship, the more gas it takes to get to space. And since everybody's worried about climate change, they can't use more gas and diesel is too heavy for a space ship.

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