Project Swagger with Robin Arzón
Project Swagger with Robin Arzón

Deadlifting in Orbit: Astronaut Jessica Meir on Strength, Perspective, and Motherhood From Space

August 25, 2026

AI Summary

5 min read

"Every once in a while, like, okay, she's three," says astronaut Jessica Meir, describing a moment her daughter thought Meir was coming to California with her. "She didn't quite get that idea." Meir is speaking from the International Space Station, 250 miles above Earth, five months into a mission that forced her to reconcile her deepest joy—floating in microgravity—with the ache of leaving a toddler behind. In this conversation with Robin Arzón, Meir explains how she deadlifts in space, why smaller astronauts have to be more creative than bigger ones, and what it feels like to run like a gazelle in orbit only to land and crash like "a hundred elephants" back on Earth.

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What you'll learn

  • 1 (03:18) **Welcome from 250 Miles Up** - Host Robin Arzón greets astronaut Jessica Meir, who is floating in the Japanese Experiment Module of the ISS.
  • 2 (04:10) **A Day in the Life on the ISS** - Jessica walks through her daily schedule, from the morning planning conference to building a microscope and running a biology experiment.
  • 3 (05:39) **The Cartilage Printer: Why Space Makes Better Tissues** - Jessica explains how microgravity allows for more uniform cell distribution, potentially creating higher-quality artificial cartilage for patients on Earth.
  • 4 (06:57) **Astronaut Training: The Two-Year Gauntlet** - Jessica breaks down the physical and mental rigors of becoming an astronaut, from flying jets to learning Russian.
  • 5 (07:48) **The Space Workout: Deadlifting Every Day** - Jessica describes the mandatory two-and-a-half-hour daily exercise routine, explaining why astronauts lift heavy weights seven days a week.
  • 6 (08:49) **The Physical Reality of a Spacewalk** - Jessica describes the intense physical and mental challenge of leaving the spacecraft in a 400-pound, pressurized suit.
  • 7 (10:44) **The Spacesuit Problem: Designed for Men** - Jessica explains how the current suits were designed in the 1970s for larger male bodies, forcing smaller astronauts to rely on creativity and leverage over brute strength.

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Guests on this episode

Show Notes

We’re going to SPACE, y’all! Today: an interview with someone I deeply admire, NASA astronaut Dr. Jessica Meir, who called into Project Swagger from the International Space Station 250 miles above Earth. We made podcast history: this is the first interview a Vox Media show has ever recorded from space! 

We get into all the details of her life in orbit: from how Dr. Meir prepared for the mental and physical challenge of going to space, how she works out in microgravity, and how she stays connected with her three-year-old daughter back home. Talking to Dr. Meir fills me with awe, and I hope this episode brings you the same feeling.

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Project Swagger with Robin Arzón