What does it take to get to space? Skill, courage… and a men’s size medium

On June 25, astronauts Shane Kimbrough and Thomas Pesquet successfully completed an almost seven-hour EVA (extravehicular activity, or spacewalk) to install solar panels on the International Space Station. What does it take to don a spacesuit and venture out on such a technical and dangerous mission? Surprisingly, one of the main criteria (besides the years of astronaut training) is body size. EVA capabilities blossomed during the era of NASA’s space shuttle. Astronauts rode robotic arms,