It's even more difficult to wear a spacesuit in zero gravity if it doesn't fit you.
Dr Jessica Meir was part of a historic all-female spacewalk at the International Space Station in 2019.
Extravehicular activities, also known as spacewalks, pose a great risk to astronauts. Insider previously reported that during a spacewalk, a pair of astronauts step outside of the International Space Station and work together in a vacuum of space.
Spacesuit fitting is important for astronauts because if there's too much room inside them, it can make the work more difficult or even deadly.
In an exclusive interview with Insider, Meir said that the spacesuits that NASA developed in the 1970s are the same spacesuits that the agency's astronauts wear now.
She said that the spacesuits are cumbersome for everyone. They're difficult to move around in.
Hazzaa al-Mansoori, Russian cosmonaut Oleg Skripochka, and US astronauts Jessica Meir are pictured.
The photo was taken by VyachesLAV OSELEDKO.
In the 70s, astronauts were mostly larger men. Budget constraints limited the range of spacesuit sizes, so they were made to fit the majority of the population size.
She said that the size issue isn't gender related. "It's an overall size thing."
The smallest size is a medium, and the population didn't look like me. The tallest guy in my class wears medium and I wear the same size.
It's more difficult for smaller astronauts like herself to learn how to maneuver in a spacesuit, which doesn't fit them correctly, according to Meir.
She said that balancing is more difficult.
The challenges of wearing an oversized spacesuit unearthed a mastery for Meir. She said that being a better spacewalker requires you to use your brain and be a little bit creative.
The importance of using leverage in space was highlighted by Meir.
Jessica Meir had to balance her spacesuit in zero gravity.
VyachesLAV OSELEDKO is a photographer.
Insider previously reported that spacesuit fitting is difficult because of microgravity. Anne McClain said she grew two inches taller in space than when she launched.
The suits are very expensive. The current fleet of spacesuits cost between 15 million and 22 million in 1974. The equivalent of $150 million is what Insider's Andy Ash reported.
They're expensive because they have to protect an astronauts from the dangers of space and the sun. They need to offer protection against particles that are moving up to 18,000 miles an hour.
While there is a budget to create something new, engineers need to spend a lot of time developing suits and making sure that they are tested and certified. She said there was a very long lead time.
New spacesuits are in development, according to Meir. She said that the new suits would be more suited to a wide range of people from the 99th percentile.
