By Girish Linganna

Jan 20: During his first morning on the space shuttle Discovery, astronaut Mike Mullane woke up with a very strong erection.

Scientists used to wonder if men could get erections in space. This is because blood and other body fluids move differently without gravity. Also, the hormones that make someone feel sexually excited decrease a lot.

Some male astronauts have talked about how their bodies change in space. They've found that not only can they become aroused there, but sometimes space makes this happen more intensely. This has led to a funny name for it: space Viagra.

In the book "Riding Rockets," Mullane talks about a highly intense and uncomfortable erection that he had, comparing it to having an incredibly powerful ability to penetrate even the toughest materials.

For the past 60 years, NASA has maintained a policy of not discussing or addressing the topic of sex in relation to their space missions.

Despite popular assumptions, NASA claims that, to their knowledge, no one has ever engaged in sexual activity in space. Sandra Jones, a spokesperson from NASA's Johnson Space Center, clarified that the agency does not have an official policy regarding sexual activity in space.

Sandra Jones, when speaking to media outlet Mashable, emphasized that NASA places a significant reliance on the professionalism and sound judgment of its astronauts.

However, NASA is currently planning for extended missions to the moon and Mars, involving male and female astronauts, without any direct understanding of how sexual activity would function in a space setting.

At the same time, companies like Blue Origin and Virgin Galactic are increasingly offering the general public the opportunity to experience space travel by reaching the boundary where Earth's atmosphere and outer space converge, known as the Karman line.

Elon Musk's SpaceX envisions establishing a human settlement on Mars using their large Starship spacecraft. Moreover, commercial companies are also making preparations to construct hotels in space.

For a long time, experts concerned about the long-term survival of our species have been urging NASA to focus on and officially study human sexual behavior in space. However, it may be more evident now than ever that there is a pressing need for such research.

While no instances of sexual activity in space have been officially reported, experts generally agree that it is possible. The absence of gravity might pose some difficulties, but with the resourcefulness of intelligent individuals, these obstacles can likely be overcome. It is worth noting that a scientist in the field of rocketry was responsible for creating the lubricant known as Astroglide.

Astroglide is a brand of personal lubricant that is commonly used during sexual activities to reduce friction and increase comfort. It is designed to provide a smooth and slippery texture, making it easier and more pleasurable for individuals engaging in sexual intercourse.

Newton's third law says that every action has an equal and opposite reaction. On Earth, gravity and our body weight help in different sex positions like missionary or cowgirl.

The missionary position is a common sexual position where one partner lies on their back with legs apart, and the other partner lies on top facing them.In zero gravity, two individuals pushing against each other would end up floating away. Therefore, having sex in such an environment would likely need ways to prevent the partners from separating with each thrust.

The rather simple answer to this problem is already a standard feature in the design of the International Space Station.The walls of the International Space Station have Velcro on them. So, one way to have sex in space could be to stick a willing partner to this Velcro surface. However, space experts have thought about other ways too.

The methods and tools astronauts learn for CPR might also be used for other purposes. In a TikTok video, Italian astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti showed how the crew would give rescue breaths and do chest compressions in emergencies.

CPR stands for Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation. It's a life-saving technique used in emergencies when someone's breathing or heartbeat has stopped. It involves chest compressions and sometimes rescue breaths to help keep the person alive.

Cristoforetti demonstrated one CPR method where she turns upside down and uses her feet against the ceiling to push on a patient's chest. She also showed another method using a "CPR bench" that's always ready in the cabin. This bench has a strap to hold the rescuer in place while they perform CPR.

In an interview with NDR, a German public broadcaster, German astronaut Ulrich Walter mentioned that humans could take inspiration from the animal world.For instance, sometimes one dolphin helps by holding two other dolphins together in the water to help them mate.Maybe humans can use their hands, arms, and legs, unlike dolphins who use flippers, so three people might not be needed. But it's good that Walter is considering different ideas beyond just two people being involved.

"Flipper" refers to the flat, broad limbs used by aquatic animals like dolphins and whales for swimming. In the context of the previous message, it means that dolphins use their flippers to help in mating, unlike humans who use their hands, arms, and legs.

Vanna Bonta, who was a science fiction writer and actress, created the 2Suit, a special outfit designed to help with sex in space. She came up with this idea after experiencing a zero-gravity flight with the National Space Society in 2004.The 2Suit is a type of space suit that has a front panel which can be opened and connected to another similar suit using Velcro.The outfit was made with built-in straps and methods for securing the person wearing it to different surfaces.In 2008, Bonta put on the 2Suit for a documentary shown on the History Channel.

Simon Dube, a psychologist and research fellow at the Kinsey Institute of Indiana University, mentioned during a SXSW panel that there are various ways to enable sexual activity in space. He suggested considering the sleeping bags used on the International Space Station. These bags are quite compact, but two people could likely fit inside them and remain close together.

SXSW refers to South by Southwest, an annual conglomerate of film, interactive media, and music festivals and conferences that take place in Austin, Texas, USA. It's known for being a hub for creative and professional growth.

NASA likely hasn't discussed alternative uses for the space station's sleeping areas since 1985. When the agency was planning to send both women and men to work on the future space station, the topic of sexual activity came up. This raises the question of whether people in the 1980s didn't consider the possibility of sexual activity among all-male crews.NASA researcher Yvonne Clearwater stated in Psychology Today that the agency should expect that a group of normal, healthy professionals will likely have normal, healthy sexual desires.

Yvonne Clearwater, along with psychologists, engineers, and an architect who were consulting on the space station's design, thought about having two-person sleeping quarters with soundproofing.

She wrote that if people are going to be in space for 90-day stretches, it's important to plan for the chance of intimate activities.

Reporters covered the article with lots of jokes in their headlines (like "Zero G-spot" or "The Big 'Bang'"). However, the idea of astronauts having sex using government funds didn't sit well with Congress. A New York Times article seven years later mentioned a secret source who said that a NASA employee spent six months handling the negative political reactions.

The idea might be exciting, but some think it could be hard for astronauts to feel in the mood. They often feel sick and dirty in space. There are no showers on the space station, just wet wipes and shampoo that doesn't need water. Plus, astronauts have to exercise for at least two hours every day on a treadmill or bike to keep their bones and muscles strong.

Astronaut Bob Hines explained in a YouTube video for the Museum of Science in Boston how body fluids behave in microgravity. On Earth, sweat falls off your face and clothes absorb much of it. In space, the sweat sticks close to you due to surface tension. Also, without normal air movement in space, heat stays around people, making astronauts sweat more than usual.For Hines, when he exercised, his sweat would gather on his hair.

He said that if he didn't wipe it off for a while, his sweat would form a jelly-like layer on top of his head. While running, he could feel it wobbling back and forth.

Using this understanding about body fluids, it's likely that female arousal and natural lubrication would also be different in space. The lubrication might gather in clumps or small blobs.It's difficult to find information or personal stories about how vaginal fluids, like cervical fluids, behave in space. This is true even in research about astronauts who have their periods. By the way, many of these astronauts choose to stop their periods with birth control pills until they come back to Earth.

The interest in sex is as natural to humans as the desire to explore space. This might be why people doubt space agencies when they claim no one has had sex in space before.

There will be people eager to be the first to have sex in space, the first to get pregnant and give birth in space. If we don't address these issues in an ethical manner, we could face problems later on.

(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)