(March 22, 2007)--Some engineers at Johnson Space Center in Houston are plodding away at a different piece of the cosmic puzzle --spacesuits.

Astronaut apparel has evolved from Mercury's aluminum foil-looking outfits to the bulky, 275-pound whites now used on jaunts outside the space station.

Veteran astronaut Jeff Williams has donned both the complex American suit and a spare Russian suit. Williams says finding the right balance is always going to be a challenge.

The US suits are easier to work in for long periods of time, but their complexity causes more maintenance.

The one-size-fits-all Russian suits are used a few times and thrown away, but they're also not as easy to work in.

At the top of the list is making the next spacesuit smaller and lighter.

NASA plans to award a contract in a year or so.

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