Nasa ponders problem of natural urges in space

NASA does not want our astronauts having sex in space. WHY???????

"Nasa is talking about the chemical sterilisation of astronauts on longer journeys," Dr Armstrong said, in a talk discussing the problems that humanity may face in trying to reach the planets and, eventually, the stars.

Nasa yesterday was nonplussed by the suggestion.

"I haven't heard anything about that," said a spokesman at Nasa's Johnson Space Centre, where planning for the long-range trips announced by President Bush in January is being carried out.

But that denial may hide a reluctance, in a nation where the showing of a nipple on national TV provokes a religious outcry, to discuss the rather delicate subject of sex in space.

Full Story: NZHerald

What!?! Because people can't normally control their urges? A Zero G-string mission just doesn't sound that great to me without the sex.

yeah space sex is supposed to be the bomb, i mean i can finnaly do all the karma suitra move then. but prolly they are affraid of mankind populating space on other planets an so forth starting a new age of humans.

You have to be kidding me. That is funny as hell. They cannot be serious. That is some kind of joke

Do they have writers, some of this stuff they make up is insane.

No sex in space.


Can we on the mars or the moon or where ever?

It will be to do with distractions from the mission, they did the same thing to soldiers in the world wars with bromide.

Imagine a baby was born in space though, what would its nationality be? Alien?



[Edited on 29-4-2004 by kegs]

That is one hell of a good question. I guess it would be born under whose countries the parents flew from.. Now if it was a joint mission, I guess it is up to the mommy. If she is from the US I guess it would make the baby be American. I would what protocal that falls under?

Can't they just have a strict regime of regular masturbation? (seriously)

It would seem far more kind than sterilization. Boy would they kick themselves if we blew the planet up and the 6 remaining humans were floating, sterilized in space?

I think porn and masturbation is the answer. (I've never said this phrase before in my life, I'll always remember this moment)

BTW, I'm serious, couldn't this help?

What, forcing them to masturbate?
I think they'd be busy enough in space to not need to worry about this, but perhaps sterilized/contracepted sex in space would be fine, just as long as everyone gets along fine afterwards

What are the officials going to do? Personally go up there if theres a hint of hanky-panky, i very much doubt it.

[Edited on 29-4-2004 by TPL]

That's not a bad Idea Zzub, but don't let your mother see that post. I really don't think they'd have to force them after a month or so though browha...

I like the baby born in space idea, imagine your passport where it says 'place of birth' and you could put - Space.

Originally posted by browha
What, forcing them to masturbate?

Ok, perhaps that's a bit much. Perhaps give them the option? I'd much prefer a couple of meetings with mistress pam and her five naughty daughters every day than to be sterilized. However, I don't have the dedication of an astronaught, so maybe they wouldn't bat an eyelid about sterilization.

Maybe slightly off topic but what would the health consequences be for a baby in space. Wouldn't it be slightly messed up physically due to increased gravity when returning to earth.

This has allegedly come up because of the proposed trip to Mars that NASA is considering. Two of the six to go would be female. My question is, have they considered screening for homosexuals? Maybe that is why they are considering the [[[shudder]]] "chemical sterilization."

London, , Apr. 29 (UPI) -- A British scientist claims NASA is considering chemical sterilization of astronauts on lengthy space trips to avoid the issue of free-floating sex.

Speaking at a British Interplanetary Society symposium in London, Dr. Rachel Armstrong said intimacy was one of the many challenges the agency was addressing in anticipation of a three-year trip to Mars, where the six-strong crew would be likely to include two women.

washingtontimes.com...

You really don't want to be pregnant in space do you? Landing on Mars is one thing but having a child in space is not right.

Is this some kindof rampant emergancy situation there or something? Are people just having sex in space every trip or something!??? I mean come on, I'm fairly sure people have more self control then what thseir saying. THey are professional scientists, not prostitutes or pimps

I don't think it'd have anything to do with homosexuals; woman still aren't allowed to serve on submarines in the British navy (don't know if that's true for the U.S) Even though the person in charge of British nuclear submarines based in Scotland is a woman.

It's all about confined spaces and natural human urges and how to eliminate them as a factor of risk to a mission, in the cold robotic terms of the military.
Though it�s not as if it's without precedent.

Although I havn't read the full article yet, I would think the only big issue would be pregnancy. Simple solution is use birth control as well as condoms.

Then again, I suppose since a pregnancy could jeopardize the entire mission and potentially cost lives, they could force the astronauts to be temporarily sterilized. I don't think they'll have a problem finding astronauts who will comply.




[Edited on 30-4-2004 by outsider]

Basically, the information is... disinformation.

As NASA said, they haven't really been concerned about it -- simply because longer flights aren't possible. If we had progressed with bases on the moon and regular space travel, we might see more about this in the news.

As I recall, one of the solutions was to send only sterilized married pairs with no children on long-term missions. Having a baby while in space/microgravity would be very messy and very dangerous and could contaminate the whole ship.

Oh yeah...

If they keep you busy enough (and the astronauts are constantly busy), sexual urges really aren't much of an issue. Particularly when you are living in a fishbowl environment.