Spacewalkers' dance of derring-do

When astronaut Mike Fossum joined Piers Sellers Saturday for the first spacewalk of the current shuttle mission, it didn't take long for the rookie to fall under the spell of his unique environment.

"I'm in a dream," he said 90 minutes into the outing, as he watched Russia glide past more than 200 miles below. "Nobody wake me up."

Monday, the duo heads out the hatch for the second of three exquisitely choreographed spacewalks, which rank among the most dangerous activities astronauts undertake. They will install a spare pump on the station and repair part of a transporter system used for space-station construction.

It's some dream.

You ease hand over hand along space-station modules, advancing your safety tether as you go. The star-speckled cosmos and a blue planet form your backdrops. All that stands between you and an inhospitable vacuum – plus 600-degree temperature swings between day and night – is half an inch of fabric, metal, and plastic.

"To go out on a spacewalk is incredibly risky," acknowledges Lt. Col. Edward Fincke, a NASA astronaut who spent 187 days aboard the International Space Station in 2004 and took part in four spacewalks. "But it's also amazing."

NASA's push to fulfill President Bush's outline for sending United States astronauts back to the moon and later, perhaps, to Mars has fanned the old debate over whether exploration can be accomplished more cheaply and efficiently with unmanned spacecraft.

It comes as no surprise that here at the Johnson Space Center, the epicenter of the US manned spaceflight program, the role of humans in space exploration is seen as indispensable. And for many astronauts, a key step to taking part in that effort is trading their signature blue jumpsuits for a glistening spacesuit.

Each suit tips the scale at 300 pounds and carries a price tag that would make Armani blush. The cash register has cha-chinged for a dozen or so suits in NASA's wardrobe, at roughly $10 million each. Sizes? Medium, large, and extra large.

The road to an eventual spacewalk begins as new astronauts are evaluated to determine their potential roles as crew members, notes Glenn Lutz, deputy manager of the EVA (Extravehicular Activity, or spacewalks) office here.

"We're looking for brain power – people who can think on their feet, are good with their hands," and have good recall, he says.

The job also is physically demanding: While the spacesuit and hardware are weightless in space, they still have mass and require effort to move. The tools astronauts use look much like those you'd find down the aisle at Home Depot, but they have heftier handles and tethers – and the materials they are made from must be consistent throughout the tool to avoid uneven expansion and contraction as they warm and chill.

"Think of trying to repair a refrigerator while you're wearing ski gloves," Mr. Lutz says.

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