A Russian cosmonaut circling 240 miles above the earth on the International Space Station married his fiance in Texas on Sunday in the first space wedding.

Ekaterina Dmitriev (R) poses with a life-size cut-out of her bridegroom, Yuri Malenchenko (L), at a press conference following her satellite wedding to the orbiting space station commander, August 10, 2003 in Houston. [Reuters]

Peering into each other's eyes via a satellite video hookup at NASA's Johnson Space Center, the two exchanged vows before 200 people in a ceremony that ended with bride Ekaterina Dmitriev blowing new husband Yuri Malenchenko a long distance kiss.

A beaming Dmitriev, dressed in a traditional white wedding dress, told reporters she was very happy, even though she will not see Malenchenko, 41, until he returns to earth in late October or early November.

"It was cool; it went straight to the heart," she said, standing next to a life-size cutout of Malenchenko that was to be his stand-in at a space-themed wedding reception.

Wedding organizer Jo Ann Woodward said the ceremony, closed to the press, was highly traditional except for the absence of the groom.

Friend Harry Noe stood in as his proxy, which is permitted under Texas law, and gave Dmitriev, 26, her ring.

At the same time, Malenchenko, who wore a bow tie with his flight suit, slipped on a ring his new bride had shipped earlier to the space station.

His crewmate and best man, Ed Lu, played the "wedding march" on an electronic keyboard.

Texas judge Bill Yeoman presided over the ceremony, which was conducted in English.

Dmitriev said she and Malenchenko began their relationship in April 2002 after meeting at the Outpost Tavern, a favorite astronaut haunt near Johnson Space Center.

Neither NASA nor Russian space officials embraced the wedding, but the couple insisted they did not want to wait for Malenchenko's return.

Dmitriev, who was born in the Soviet Union but came with her family to the United States at an early age and works in a private business near the space center, said they married now because their long distance relationship had brought them closer.

"A long distance relationship is a lot of communication. He was closer to me because of the communication we have," she said.

Besides, she added, "it was a celestial soulful connection that we have. I can't explain it to you other than that."

The two plan to honeymoon in Australia after Malenchenko's return, then have a traditional religious wedding in Russia next June, Woodward said.

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