Originally, Butch and Suni were only supposed to spend eight days in space together. After all, it will be half a year. The publication of the new names of the crew of the International Space Station (ISS) has raised a number of questions. And the most poignant of them is: How will this adventure affect their intimate life?
It takes fishtron…
According to official information from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), no human has ever had sex in space. And there is no reason to believe that the information is false. Although in 1992 NASA unknowingly sent newlyweds Mark Lee (72) and Jan Davis (70) to the ISS, the environment of the spacecraft did not create sufficiently intimate conditions for (in)authenticity to take place.
Although the station is spacious enough, every place on it is constantly monitored. And the presence of other crew members does not record privacy either. Even if the couple somehow managed to escape the eyes of the cameras and their colleagues, another problem would arise in front of them – how to perform the whole act at all?
As you know, there is no gravity in space. “Still, sex in space is possible, but it certainly won’t be as easy as on Earth,” adds Adam Watkins, Associate Professor of Reproductive and Developmental Physiology at the University of Nottingham. “It would require certain acrobatic solutions. But in my opinion there is nothing that human ingenuity cannot overcome.’
Contact and possible fusion are actions for acrobats.
Stick or hold?
As an example, Watkins gives the so-called first aid bench. This is used in space in cases where one of the crew members collapses and needs to be revived. “The subject is strapped to the bench so he doesn’t fly through the air,” explains the associate professor. “Surely it could be applied to sex as well and it could be very interesting.” After all, there are a lot of salons where handcuffs and other luxuries are desirable… Another possibility is the use of velcro fasteners, which are commonly hung on the walls in the ISS. Astronauts stick to them when they need to do something in one place. The last option would require a somewhat stronger stomach. “The couple could reach out to one of their colleagues to keep them close during intercourse,” illuminates Watkins.
But will there be any taste?
It might be possible to overcome logistical problems. It would be worse with physiological ones. The conditions in space disrupt the production of hormones, which leads to a drastic decrease in libido. The blood also does not flow through the body as we are used to, but instead goes to the head. This in turn can cause erectile problems.
