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Inside a Spacesuit: Pam Melroy Back to Astronauts in Hard Hats "Different tasks can be more tiring than others. But just the entire experience of being in the suit, which is pressurized, can be very, very tiring, because any movements—you're sort of like the Michelin Man, you know, you're puffed up in this suit, which means that any movements you make with your hands or your arms, they're all against pressure. It's like, you're pressurized, and you're a little puffed up, so there's a lot of resistance. "The way the suit is designed, it's very protective, because, of course, you don't have anything out there. You're in your own little spacecraft, actually, when you're wearing this suit. So as a result of all the protections, it's kind of stiff. So essentially what they're doing is lifting weights for six to seven hours. And so obviously if the task is very intensive with their hands, then they're lifting even more weight. So there are times built in for them to rest. But from an endurance and a strength standpoint, it's an incredible workout." Blueprint for a Space Station | Astronauts in Hard Hats Inspired by Science Fiction | Free-Falling | Resources Transcript | Site Map | Stationed in the Stars Home Editor's Picks | Previous Sites | Join Us/E-mail | TV/Web Schedule About NOVA | Teachers | Site Map | Shop | Jobs | Search | To print PBS Online | NOVA Online | WGBH © | Updated November 2000 |