Imagine a Walk in Space

   I have had a love for space for years.  Something about the mystery of it, the vast size and splendor, it attracts my mind and heart.  I could stare at the stars for hours, just admiring them.  Right now, the orbiter Discovery is in orbit around our planet.  She acts as a home and working place, a place of safety in the void of space.  I think one of the most amazing experiences out of that whole conjunction of amazing experiences would be to take a space walk.  An extra vehicular activity (EVA) is when the astronaut suits up in his or her very carefully prepared, multi-layered, suit and steps outside the sheltered environment to begin a task.  But, in that first step, that big grandiose moment when the astronaut steps into the space and sees stars that cannot be seen through our atmosphere.  I can only imagine what it would be like to take a walk in space, to see the earth and the stars in their glory.  Discovery will land in a few days, returning back to our much larger ship (a.k.a planet) that protects us from vacuum of space.  Endeavor and Atlantis are the last flights, following the Discovery.  I hope that the imagination that led us to the wondrous ability to walk in space will lead us to future walks.