NASA was planning a mission to Mars. The flight can take about 30 months, so a fair question arises: can astronauts survive all this time in space without sex?
The experts decided to find out what sexual intimacy can be in zero gravity and whether sex in space is possible in principle.
The ISS Crew Code of Conduct states that no astronaut should, during a mission, demonstrate by their behavior that they prefer certain individuals. But they are all living beings: and a 30-month expedition is a long period of abstinence.
Gravity supplies the lower parts of the human body with blood. Thanks to this, the genitals are "ready". However, weightlessness leads to an excess of blood in the upper body of a person.
“Male arousal in space, although possible, is much more difficult,” explains astronaut John Millis, Ph. D. from the Kinsey Institute.
The same thing happens with women. But that's not all. In microgravity, Millis argues, the problem is growing. Under such conditions, the natural lubricant that is released from the weaker sex during sex behaves differently than on Earth. It is a well-known fact that liquid splashed out in zero gravity from a vessel will float along the ship's cabin. The same thing happens with female lubricants.
“Vaginal hydration will be a challenge for women. It will not necessarily affect arousal, but I think it will be uncomfortable and unpleasant for women,”said Dr. Millis.
Another factor that influences men's sexual desire is testosterone. However, during space flight, the level of the male hormone drops.
Promotional video:
Astronaut Ulrich Walter admits that in the early days in space, sex drive is significantly reduced.
“During the ten-day flight in the space shuttle, we thought about everything except sex,” he said.
But don't forget about history. Cosmopolitan magazine reported on a case of sexual harassment in space - a Russian cosmonaut harassed a Canadian scientist during an eight-month simulation of life on a space station on Earth. However, to date, not a single fact of sexual contact in space is known.