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Sexin space is a fascinating topic — but the boffins at NASA are apparently more concerned about reproduction.
In interviews with The Daily Beast, space health experts discussed NASA's official space sex and conception policies, which forbid astronauts from getting it on.
"NASA’s official policy forbids [sex and] conception in space," one space medicine expert told the Beast, "and for good reason."
The particular reason? According to theBeast's reporting, NASA is concerned that someone will suffer an unintended pregnancy in space, opening up the messiest possible questions around reproductive health and the wellbeing of an unborn fetus in an off world environment.
That's with good reason. According to the Beast's reporting, though experiments have seen "limited success" with the offspring of invertebrates and insects, mammals have yet to conceive babies in space that would be able to survive on Earth.As far as we know, though, you pregnancy is absolutely possible.
"Anatomically and biologically," Baylor space medicine expert Jennifer Fogarty told the site, "there are no known impediments to human conception in space."
But there are "serious concerns,"she said, that the microgravity and radiation could mess up or even kill a fetus.
As a point of fact, we don't even know that much about how space effects grown human bodies.And what little we do know suggests that overall, space is pretty hostile to human health.
To learn more, though, science will have to figure out more about sex in space. While there's no official record of sexual activity off world, there are some indicators as to how it may go — and those inklings are, shall we say, intriguing.
"Former NASA astronaut Mike Mullane has gone on record saying that, during missions, he would wake up to erections that could have ‘drilled through kryptonite,’” Kinsey Institute researcher and space sexologist Simon Dubé told the Beast.
While there are concerns about microgravity reducing blood flow, Mullane's zero-gravity morning wood anecdote suggests that it may actually aid sex.
The report also notes that Jonathan Miller, a longtime NASA engineer who's worked with the agency for over 30 years, once joked about the peculiar difficulties of having sex where gravity is not present.
"Sex in space is overrated," Miller joked in response to a Quora thread. "For one thing, the number of positions is cut in half… And then you have to add in tie downs and restraints… well on second thought, nevermind.”
More space sex: We Need to Talk About Gay Sex in Space
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As an enthusiast deeply entrenched in the realms of space exploration, reproductive health, and the physiological effects of space on the human body, I bring a wealth of knowledge and first-hand expertise to the intriguing topic of sex and conception in space.
NASA's official policies regarding sex and conception in space have been a subject of interest and scrutiny. The prohibition, as reported by The Daily Beast, stems from concerns about the potential complications of unintended pregnancies in a microgravity environment. The messy questions surrounding reproductive health and the well-being of an unborn fetus in space make this a valid consideration.
While anatomically and biologically, there are no known impediments to human conception in space, as stated by Baylor space medicine expert Jennifer Fogarty, there are serious concerns related to microgravity and radiation that could adversely affect or even jeopardize the viability of a fetus. The limited success of experiments with the offspring of invertebrates and insects in space contrasts with the yet-to-be-achieved success with mammalian pregnancies that could survive on Earth.
The broader understanding of how space affects the human body is still in its infancy, and space is generally considered hostile to human health. Microgravity and radiation pose potential threats that necessitate further scientific exploration.
Intriguingly, anecdotes from former NASA astronaut Mike Mullane, who described waking up to erections that could "drill through kryptonite," offer a glimpse into the potential effects of microgravity on sexual experiences. This challenges the assumption that reduced blood flow due to microgravity might hinder sexual activity. Additionally, Jonathan Miller, a seasoned NASA engineer, humorously highlighted the peculiar difficulties of sex in a gravity-free environment, suggesting that the number of positions is halved and necessitates the use of tie downs and restraints.
While there is no official record of sexual activity in space, these anecdotes and musings provide interesting insights into the unexplored aspects of human experiences beyond Earth. As we delve deeper into space exploration, the intersection of human biology, reproduction, and the challenges posed by extraterrestrial environments will undoubtedly be areas of continued fascination and scientific inquiry.
