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News flash! Astronauts keep it professional in space! When veteran NASA spaceflier Alan Poindexter was asked during a visit to Tokyo what would happen if astronauts had sex in space, he emphasized that he and his colleagues were "a group of professionals."
"We treat each other with respect and we have a great working relationship," Poindexter, who commanded a space shuttle mission to the station in April, was quoted as saying. "Personal relationships are not ... an issue. We don't have them, and we won't."
Those comments have been reverberating around the Internet for the past couple of days, and MSNBC's Keith Olbermann delved into the subject tonight on his show (with professional advice from Franklin Institute astronomer Derrick Pitts, as you'll see in the video above).
We've delved into the sex-in-space issue more than once, and the bottom line is that it's not the sort of thing NASA talks about publicly. I can imagine, however, that dealing with such bodily needs is the sort of thing that astronauts talk about ... just as they probably trade tips on toilet etiquette and other unmentionables relating to life in space.
What do you think?
Leave a Comment:
On Moonraker Shuttle #5, the one with the laser, there was some hot sex between James Bond of MI 5 and Lois Chiles from the CIA that was pretty erotic and titillating that the babe from NASA or Vasser wanted a second orgasmic experience.
If it's in the movies, it must be true:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=08Zog1a_WSs
Well, in the interest of science, I hereby volunteer to be part of the experiment - provided I get a hot babe like the girl in moonwalker to be my "lab partner."
Nice to see the 2suit on here from the History Channel "Sex in Space" episode!
I just this graphic of the 2Suit in another article about sex in space. This CGI illustration is a special spacesuit that attaches to another. It was filmed on The Universe series where an actual prototype of the 2Suit was tested in zero gravity. It was the first mission to break ground testing intimacy in space. (History Channel covered it) The whole point is to further normal human relationships on long term missions and to procreate the species off-planet. It's normal and the best thing that has happened to sex since it furthers life. Awesome. Go 2Suit.
I can't believe how naive NASA thinks some people are, or how naive NASA is. But they're a major company. They should team up with the Disney folks. We all know that Minnie and Mickey don't have sex. Otherwise there would be little mousies running all over the place. Maybe the street sweepers pick them up like they do the cigarette butts...anyway...
If the astronauts didn't "volunteer" and NASA didn't except and experiments for the sake of science, then NASA is really stupid, or let's just go back to naive. It's a moot point at this stage of the game. Hopefully the other countries have delved into that realm...hmm
Speaking of James Bond movies, I don't remember them much, except the one with the guy who had steal teeth and his boss having the shark tank. I heard Carly Simon's The Spy Who Loved Me recently, and I remember it being the theme song of one of the movies. I don't know which chick was Bond's love interest in that one. About ten to twenty yrs. ago, I would have thought the movies were sexist, but not anymore. I think society has deemed it ok for women to enjoy sexy movies. MEOW! Oh, that's Catwoman and Batman...now there's a sexy couple.
NASA is not a company. It's a gov. funded program.
Barbara Bach
We talk about different places to do it and all. There's the all special MILE HIGH CLUB, but hey... This would put those mile high club people right back on the surface!
"of the 10 positions tested, six required the use of a belt and an inflatable tunnel"......it ain't gonna happen for science...and you probably can't stop it for all of humanity. Period.
About a year ago I read that one NASA mission included 2 astronauts (M & F) who were married to each other. They wouldn't say what they had or had not done. My guess is that NASA told them not to say. BUT why wasn't their mission included in the above article?
Yes, I guess I should have mentioned the case of Mark Lee and Jan Davis, who were married to each other at the time of their 1991 shuttle mission aboard Endeavour. (They've since divorced.) I think it's very unlikely that anyone would do the full nasty aboard the shuttle, unless they have a deep exhibitionist / experimentalist streak. Too little privacy, too many complications. Relieving the tension during a long trip in space (e.g., on the International Space Station) is a different matter, but my guess is that astronauts were flying solo in that regard. SciGuy Eric Berger touched upon that subject back in 2007: http://blogs.chron.com/sciguy/archives/2007/02/has_it_been_don.html
Oops, make that a 1992 mission for Lee and Davis... STS-47.
"unless they have a deep exhibitionist / experimentalist streak."
I think some of us are only concentrating on the physical aspect and not the emotional.
I would think that being in space is the ultimate experience for man and woman kind. How could it not be a highly emotional event? It would probably release a hug amount of inhibitions in a way that we can't even imagine. And I don't mean coming back to Earth and screwing everything in sight.
Maybe being in space creates some sort of altered state of mind that includes sexual, spiritual, and sensual feelings. So in that case, the physical aspect of sex wouldn't even be needed.
But I think NASA had it's chance to study this very NATURAL phenomena and basically blew it because of prudishness and wondering how the American society would feel about it. I doubt that the astronauts from other countries have the NASA mentality. I sure hope not.
If there's a need, mankind will find a way, just like teenagers find a way despite parental and societal restrictions. Since astronaut heartbeats are monitored continuously there should be some fascinating data on record - especially when two heartbeats are "very" active simultaneously. I doubt that NASA would be in the business of telling about such encounters, but I imagine that one day one of the astronauts will. It's a million dollar story and I'm sure some publication would be ready to pay as soon as some high flyers are ready to talk about it.
MSNBC, Keith... You feature two old people talking about restraints? What happened to the 2Suit?? This clip missed the float! The illustration of the 2Suit you show only briefly at the end (with no reference ?) didn't give us the best part of the zero gravity possibilities ... unbelievable let down. At least label the 2suit on the footage you used so we have more options besides ...old people talking restraints?
Agreed. I saw this used on another article and no reference. Walmart should start making the 2Suit as pajamas or party wear to get earth people thinking of migrating off-planet in twos. Besides I was reading it has other applications like heat source sort (thermal applications).
I imagine a sex scene like in "Airplane" and the "autopilot" enjoying a smoke afterwards!
They called it Tang didn't they? And told us that's what astronauts where having for breakfast.
Anything that can and will be done in the name of science has and will be done in the name of science.
It takes 2 to Tango,no matter where you are. It's already happened,were just not told about it.
Porn in Space
Director yells cut cut that was supposed to land on her face, Damn it now there's a big glob of Goo floating around.
Will someone get a net or something?
I would be shocked that sex didn't happen. It would be very dissapointing that one of life's greatest pleasures wasn't experienced no matter where mankind ventures. It happens, it's neat, and nobody else's busness, why do we need to know anyway.
As the old saw goes, "Thems what knows don't say, and thems what says, don't know." Astronauts are NOT monitored continuously, and on two-shift private sleeping cubicle missions such as the Spacelab that Mark and Jan were on, there's plenty of opportunities for joining the Hundred-Mile-High Club [even more room and privacy on the ISS]. Most folks in the spaceflight operations business figure humans have already found the why and the way, and are happy for them, and aren't nosy.
Meh. They'll fix it in post.
Why it shouldn't be done: Human behavior gets weird when it comes to sex or rather thinking about who' s having it with whom and when, how etc.. We have evolved this way because of our former tight pack associations were a lot of nookie had to be kept secret or else..
In tight quarters these tactics just aren't going to work and you would just add an extra level of stress to the mission that nobody needs.
Well, finally a topic that doesn't cause the religious nuts (both pro and con) to go berserk or invite yet another repetition of the GOP talking points regarding the current administration (sore losers). Good work Alan, you've found a topic of great scientific importance with considerable public interest that doesn't encourage the usual religious or political food fight.
I really don't keep up on this topic and have not seen the program regarding sex in space or read any of the technical manuals and studies as most of the previous responders apparently have. Heck, I havn't even seen the Bond movie with the weightless sex scene. But the last I heard it was the scientific opinion of so-called experts that sex in a weightless environment would be pretty difficult.
I don't care if the Astronauts are having sex is space. I don't care if they are having sex on earth, either. I don't care if ET is having sex or even HOW he has sex. This sounds like something that should be the business of two consenting adults (or mature livestock) and none of MY business.
Could we have some science news now, please? Or at least a more salacious video recreation?
PEACE
I really did not think that this subject would have generated this much interest, but what about raising bail and a defense for Anna Chapman so that she can apply for a job as a future astronaut.
So for those of you who don't think it's our business, I think NASA is the one who's being prudish for needing to keep up appearances. What would a a large majority think about sex in space if word got out? People would freak! As for the astronauts who are scientists and very skilled in many fields, I would believe that they would want to share this with the world. We as a society, who's always wondering what life would be like in space...wouldn't that include the most natural part of our lives? We have sexual feelings for a reason, most of us having conscious sexual feelings. It's all about that little word called "evolution." It's in our DNA to want to continue our species.
I would think astronauts have pretty much the same instincts as the rest of society when it comes to these matters. Besides immediate survival needs in a dangerous environment takes precedence over our longer term procreative interests.
Exceptions might well be considered space sex fetishists but I think the shrinks would probably detect these before they got off.. the ground.
For God's sake! I said that it would probably be natural to want to have sex in space and not in a kinky, sex fetish, "doing the nasty" kind of way. I never meant to imply that. Why do we have to refer to sex in those terms? And of course they would want to be focused. That goes without saying. If you think I was being salacious, you are wrong.
Have any of you ever been in space? we all know the answer to that, 'NO."
Can you imagine the feelings it would bring out? No matter how much therapy the astronauts have gone through in order to prepare them, still it could be the first time for some of them. I personally think it would bring out their primal feelings, one reason being that they haven't actually been into space (most.) And with it being so overwhelming.. Maybe space travel isn't that big of a deal and I'm blowing the "feeling" part of it out of proportion.
Anyway, it's an intersting topic, and I'm sorry that I don't explain myself very well ( at times.)
Fetish In the intended sense is nothing more than an unusual interest. If you can get that aroused by space so as to be unable to suspend the desire until you are safely back on Terra-firma it might be construed as fetishistic. Nothing too kinky in that but pathological? maybe.
I haven't been to space but have done bell & saturation diving and I can assure that there was nothing about that that would put me in the mood even if there were an opportunity. When your not working or trying to stay alive you're eating or resting both of which are essential to survival.
You must be thinking of the cruise liner in space down the road!
Darrah,
I really cannot think of a comment that would not appear either prudish or smart-ass, but let me try to respond.
First of all no one enjoys a good roll in the hay any more than me. As you point out, we are hard-wired to procreate and that fact that it can be a fullfilling and beautifully intimate experience just adds to the total package.
A large segment of society thoroughly enjoys the salacious details of who are boinking whom in the entertainment business, etc. If they didn't those supermarket tabloids would be out of business in a jiffy. I just don't think there is that big a market for sensationalized biblical predictions of doom, bat boy (last I heard he was in Afghanistan looking for Osama) or UFO's.
But, when it comes to folks "doin' it", in outer space, inner space, under the ocean or on the kitchen table, I just don't think it's anybody's business but the people involved in the act. (rape and child molestation excepted, obviously).
Yes, it natural and yes it's natural to be curious. I'm just not sure it's news, that's all.
But for those of you with an interest, enjoy!
PEACE
@ Skip:
I wasn't referring to you as being prudish or anyone who has posted, specifically. I was pointing out that maybe the astronauts who are scientifically minded , (which all would be) wouldn't mind and would probably want to explain it all someday if not for NASA and where society is right now. I personally don't think we're ready to know the scientific details. I sure's hell wouldn't want a seedy blow by blow description. I wouldn't want the interview to be done with Playboy, Playgirl, etc. Maybe it could go into a scientific journal.
But no, I've love your comments. That's why I wanted you on my friends list, and I follow you around here and there when you've discovered a very interesting topic like the ramifications of nuking an asteroid. It's all good, as they say.
Another aspect to having sex in space is the primal and evolved urge to conceive while on a mission. I don't think it would have much to do with narcissism, in fact maybe the opposite. Astronauts are the ultimate explorers and have a strong desire to help mankind. No matter how safe space travel becomes, there are so many things that could go wrong. So they're laying their lives in the line every time they go.
We as a society have taken so any things for granted over the yrs. "Oh, I didn't even know the space shuttle was on another mission."
As they say, you never know what you've got until it's gone...unfortunately.