The Space Tourists will Probably have Sex but they shouldn’t get Pregnant

Let’s talk about Space sex.

Although there has been no report of cosmic coitus to date, more people are taking an interest in it. Enjoy a cruise around the Earth. It is only a question of time before somebody creates the 250-mile high club.

Since billionaires Jeff Bezos, Richard Branson and the race to the edge. two years ago, orbital tourism has taken off.

Branson’s company, Virgin Galactic successfully flew their first space touristsThe plan is to operate similar flights every other month.

SpaceXIn May, the third group of non-professional astronauts was launched into space.

Billionaire Yusaku MaezawaA trip around the Moon has been booked on the company’s website Starship mega-rocketIt was launched into orbit for the first time in April. Entrepreneur Dennis Tito has booked two seats on a similar Starship lunar flight — one for himself, and one for his wife.

The wealthy can take a trip beyond their normal vacations, which can last anywhere from a couple of minutes to several weeks, if they have enough money. Some companies are even aiming to Build hotels on Earth’s orbit.

Researchers: “It’s unrealistic that all space tourists will abstain sexual behavior,” WriterIn a green book on the topic earlier this year.

Spaceflight companies, say these critics, should take the initiative to inform their customers of the dangers of cosmic coupling.

If somebody gets pregnant — on purpose or otherwise — there’s a chance that the background Radiation from SpaceInsider was told by two space scientists that the space environment would damage a newly fertilized oocyte, even if only a day or so after the act. No one knows how it would affect the rest the pregnancy.

“These high energy deep-space radiation particles, some of which pass right through vehicles and through people. What would happen if a particle from deep space hits a developing embryo? Dr. Kris Lehnhardt is NASA’s medical system research leader. deep-space explorationInsider reported that.

Lehnhardt stated that “it’s an open issue, but there could be serious consequences if someone became pregnant in outer space.”

The dangers associated with unrestrained space fornication

Even if it were possible, it would not be worth the risk to try.

Very little research has been done on the possible effects of the space environment on reproductive systems. It’s partly due to the fact that space research is dominated by governments.

Lehnhardt explained that NASA is generally not interested in sex or reproduction questions. It’s not relevant to what we do at NASA on a daily basis.

NASA hasn’t always been good at reproductive health, even when it was relevant. The famous question asked by engineers there Sally Ride, astronautIf 100 tampons are enough for an entire week in space.

Rodents are the focus of most space reproduction studies. These findings may not apply to humans, but they do provide hints about how space radiation and microgravity could affect reproductive functions.

Then, you can get started. StudyingThe researchers placed mouse embryos on a satellite in an incubator. The embryos were able to develop in space, but suffered “severe DNA damage” and developmental defects.

Other Researchers have a number of questions about the effectiveness of research., exposure to microgravity decreased testosterone levels and sperm production in male rats. Some female rats mated while in spaceflight, but showed signs of early loss of pregnancy.

It is known that some forms of radiation can have negative effects during pregnancy. Lehnhardt noted that “the galactic cosmic radiation we experience from space does not have a good comparability on Earth.”

It may even be risky to conceive within a few months of returning from spaceflight, the green paper authors argue. A lack of research has been noted once again. Lehnhardt says that the uncertainty has led some astronauts, including Lehnhardt, to freeze their eggs prior to launch.

Have you discussed sex with your customers?

If someone gets pregnant in space, they or their fetus may face complications. Green paper says that space-tourism firms are at risk for reputational damage and litigation if they don’t address this possibility.

Insider reported that David Cullen, a professor at Cranfield University and the lead author of this paper, was not trying to ban sex.

In his view, instead, the companies should “implement mitigations and procedures to minimize the chances of any sexual interaction leading to conception”.

Cullen and co-authors suggest that space-tourism leaders discuss the dangers of acting based on orbital excitement. Companies could demand that customers receive medical and reproductive counseling or sign waivers regarding sex and reproductivity before flying.

In order to build cities on another planet, we need to know how babies are made out there

They are only the beginning. If humans are to settle on other planets to become a “multiplanetary species” — a goal that Elon Musk has often touted over the years — someone will need to figure out the feasibility and risks of space sex, pregnancy, and birth.

Cullen, along with the other authors of this paper, are now working on a project called SpaceBorn United to study in vitro fertilisation (IVF) within space. The company intends to first try space IVF using mouse eggs in 2024. It will then move on to human eggs.

Lehnhardt stated that the research would be necessary to find out if it is possible to have a pregnancy in the space environment.

He was quick to point out that “NASA had absolutely nothing to with this.”

This post has been revised. It was first published on August 9, 2020.