Comments on: Gettin’ It On in Space

By: Josh Hendrickson

Josh Hendrickson — Sun, 11 Oct 2009 12:47:06 +0000

Very interesting. I can honestly say that I’ve never given the reality of this much thought. We all see it in Sci-Fi movies and shows, but I never actually thought about the reality of it.

The rat thing I found very interesting. Is that covered on the episode of “The Universe?” One of my favorite Sunday shows btw…

By: a daughter's mother

a daughter's mother — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 12:05:12 +0000

At the very least we should raise the question of post-space-flight children. Are there any? How’s their health? And if not, why not? Do we all select for post-reproductive astronauts / cosmonauts? If humans follow the path of rats, this could put a serious crimp on space exploration.
As to the how-to of in-space copulation, I have every confidence that folks will find a way, providing, as you suggest, that impotence is not a side-effect. I’d advise a sense of humor for the participants, however, as much is likely to happen that will require that particular lubricant.

By: dominich

dominich — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 08:09:35 +0000

IIRC there was a sci-fi porn movie a few years ago that hired a vomit comet to film zero-gee “activities”. I imagine they must have learned something!

By: Jared

Jared — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 22:24:10 +0000

Mike, perhaps there should be a funded sex research in space if it results in all of the far right conservatives suffering acute infarctions…

Seriously, though, the biggest advantage to an all-female crew on long-duration trips would be a lower caloric intake, thus less food required. This might prevent the pregnancy issue, but that’s about all it would solve.

By: Stephen Moore

Stephen Moore — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 15:59:54 +0000

Also, it was found that male rats who had been in space who then returned to Earth and mated with females who hadn’t had babies with a wide range of birth defects.

Any info on the rate of defects in the population? And the type of defects? Whilst animal subjects provide an easier means than human subjects of producing many offspring such that these type of data can be gathered, has there been any study of children born to returned astronauts that might even merely hint at such a risk for humans? Seems odd that there would be no post-spacefareing born children. Or is it simply a matter of ‘n < useful data set'?

By: Mike Haubrich

Mike Haubrich — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 12:27:13 +0000

I have a hard time getting past the idea that if anybody issues a grant through NASA on studying the idea of how unmarried consensual adults deal with these aspects of sex in space; the conservatives in Congress will have a collective embolism. They’ll pretend that professional astronauts will naturally, and through God’s guidance, keep their zippers closed and hold it until they get back to earth where they can praise Jesus through sex with their spouses. Vibrators and Fleshlights will also be banned on flights.