By Girish Linganna
Dec 27: When astronauts travel to the International Space Station, they often share videos showing how they manage everyday activities in space, such as drinking water, cleaning their hair, or playing instruments. However, there's a topic that's commonly experienced on Earth every moment and is crucial for life - sexual activity.
The International Space Station isn't the best place for these kinds of experiments. Although it's as big as a football field, the area where astronauts live has been getting smaller over time. Even if astronauts were willing to engage in sexual activities for scientific research, there isn't a spot private enough to be used for such intimate moments.
From what we know so far, it seems astronauts don't engage in sexual activities during their extended time in space. But, with the introduction of private and commercial space missions, this situation could change soon. This means science needs to quickly find answers to the many questions about sex in space that haven't been answered yet.
Managing Bodily Fluids
Besides arranging a private area, the initial concern is if two people can actually engage in the act while floating in zero gravity. This could seem unusual at first, but considering how adaptable humans are, this challenge might be resolved quickly.
Yet, managing bodily fluids during the act presents a significant challenge. From videos taken on the ISS, we understand that bodily fluids in space form into floating spheres, and without proper containment, they would drift around the spacecraft.
No astronaut has openly discussed their experiences with masturbation in space, so it's unclear how bodily fluids are currently handled in that environment. Maria Santaguida, a researcher at the Florida-based Astrosexological Research Institute, suggested to Newsweek that devices designed for masturbation with fluid suction mechanisms could be useful. Yet, tools for partnered sexual activities haven't been tried out in space yet.
Existence Beyond Our Planet
Science is also curious about what happens after sexual intercourse. Past experiments have tried this with mice in space, but the stress of the journey meant that none of the mice became pregnant.
It's understood that fertilization is possible in microgravity. However, the absence of gravity might hinder the zygote's implantation in the uterus. Additionally, experiments with mice indicated that microgravity can affect the development of specific body parts, like the inner ear.
A zygote implant, or more accurately, zygote implantation, refers to the process where a fertilized egg (zygote) attaches itself to the lining of the uterus. This is a crucial step in pregnancy, as it allows the zygote to receive nutrients and oxygen from the mother, which are essential for its growth and development into an embryo.
Researchers believe that if humans are to journey to other planets, the ability to carry out pregnancy in space could become necessary. To facilitate this, spacecraft might require artificial gravity systems, as the fetus relies on gravity for the development and strengthening of specific muscles and bones.
Given the complexities involved in managing intimate activities on a spacecraft, an alternative strategy could involve sending frozen reproductive cells - eggs and sperm - to other planets. This method bypasses the difficulties of physical intimacy in space. Additionally, it offers a significant advantage in terms of safety: by transporting these cells in a frozen state, they would be better shielded from the harmful cosmic radiation encountered during space travel, thereby ensuring the genetic integrity and health of future generations born off Earth.
Numerous challenges must be addressed and resolved for humans to travel and reside on another planet. It's not simply about constructing a rocket and launching it into space.
The author of this article is a Defence, Aerospace & Political Analyst based in Bengaluru. He is also Director of ADD Engineering Components, India, Pvt Ltd, a subsidiary of ADD Engineering GmbH, Germany. You can reach out to him at: girishlinganna@gmail.com