Re: Retro: 1999
I doubt you'll ever (or at least with the next few years' tech) solve the gloves issue, when working in a spacesuit. They've got to insulate against extreme cold, and heat, and provide some radiation shielding as well as keeping the air in. That makes them thick. So if we develop some wonder-material that can do that and still be as thin as silk, then problem solved.
Until then, I'd have thought that the second best solution is some sort of robot hand with lots of sensors and operated from a feedback glove - which does your delicate work. And can be operated at various flavours of remoteness - so you only need astronauts at the site, in space, on rare occasions.