NASA has an unwritten rule that spouses cannot both be astronauts at the same time to avoid emotional distractions during missions, which could impact space missions. However, in 1992, an American astronaut couple defied this norm and traveled to space together.
The partying behavior of Mark and his wife Jane drew widespread media attention and public interest, but the burning question was whether this couple engaged in any private activities in the very confined space of the spacecraft.
NASA has a rule that spouses cannot both be astronauts at the same time.
During their 7 days, 22 hours, 30 minutes, and 23 seconds in space, did nothing really happen? Whether it was idle chatter or scientific exploration, this incident certainly stirred up a commotion at the time. However, due to confidentiality between the parties involved and NASA, this question remains a mystery.
But there is a significant difference between public curiosity and the curiosity of scientists. The reason scientists want to understand this “idle chatter” is primarily to study human reproduction and offspring in space. After all, many science fiction films suggest that one day Earth will no longer be suitable for human existence, and therefore humans must migrate to other planets through space travel. The inability to reproduce in space could challenge the survival of the human species.
For example, on September 12, 2021, Maria, a psychologist at Concordia University, proposed to NASA and like-minded researchers worldwide something that sounds trivial but is essentially a matter of human survival:
We have a problem! Love and sex need to happen in space if we hope to travel long distances and become an interplanetary species, but space organizations are still not ready.
Scientists must also start to confront this topic and consider whether sexual activity in space affects astronauts’ bodies. Will it impact their normal lives?
The female astronaut stated that the atmosphere in the space station made her feel very stressed. (Illustrative image).
The Moscow Institute of Biomedical Research conducted an international experiment, sending eight astronauts of different genders into a simulated Mir space module to observe the behavioral needs of astronauts in space.
The 8 astronauts included 7 men and 1 woman from Russia, Austria, Japan, and Canada, who worked and lived together in the laboratory module for 110 days under expert observation. However, the results of the experiment were surprising.
After the mission, the female astronaut reported that the atmosphere in the space station made her feel very stressed, making it hard for her to focus on her work, and her living conditions were significantly affected; she even recounted instances of harassment from the commander.
The Russian male astronauts relieved some of their needs by putting up portraits on the walls. However, at one dinner party, the male astronauts suggested drinking, and the men competed to flirt with the only woman using alcohol. As a result, a scuffle broke out among the Russian astronauts, with the winner pulling the woman out of the view of the surveillance camera and forcibly kissing her amidst the shouts of the others.
However, this simulated experimental cabin was not sufficient to explain the effects of real space on astronauts’ physiological functions. Because some experts, by studying the lives of astronauts in space, believe that the opposite may occur.
There are many different uncontrollable factors in the real space environment. (Illustrative image).
We know that there are many uncontrollable factors in the actual space environment, the first being the issue of gravity. On Earth, we can eat whatever we want. However, in space, astronauts are not as comfortable. Take drinking water as an example. In space, you cannot drink water directly from a cup. There is no resistance in space. If not fixed directly, water will float everywhere. You can swallow a gulp of water, but if you can’t swallow it, it could pose a danger to the spacecraft. With a straw, the liquid in the bottle can spill out in microgravity, accumulating on the astronaut’s face, blocking their mouth and nose, causing suffocation.
Microgravity not only complicates eating and drinking but also leads to physical decline, making even walking a challenge. Walking is very easy, let alone other physical activities. Moreover, weightlessness can cause muscle atrophy to a certain extent, and the astronauts’ bodies gradually become weak from sitting for long periods in space, thus the physical demands on astronauts are very high. The effects of physical decline naturally include normal life activities and reproduction.
Additionally, the weightless state also reduces hormone levels in both men and women, and it’s not just a simple drop in hormones.
Since the days of the Soviet Union, scientists began conducting projects on breeding and mating animals in space. In 1977, the Soviet Union launched a satellite carrying male and female mice for 18 days. During this time, two female mice became pregnant, but unfortunately, they each miscarried, and scientists had no opportunity to study them.
Moreover, scientists also discovered that most of the other mice did not become pregnant, as weightlessness significantly reduced the hormone levels in both male and female mice, leading to no reproductive desire.
Through this experiment, scientists also found that the reproductive organs of animals are the third most sensitive among all body organs to radiation. Although astronauts wear thick protective suits against strong radiation, the radiation still significantly affects physiological functions.
The weightless environment causes physical decline, making even walking a challenge.
Fortunately, in subsequent studies, scientists discovered that although the weightless environment could rapidly decrease hormone levels, humans do not lose their reproductive desire. However, as long as life in space returns to Earth, and after careful adjustment, it will not affect women’s normal reproductive and childbirth capabilities.
For instance, Valentina Tereshkova, the first woman astronaut in the world, married a male astronaut in May and gave birth to a healthy and beautiful daughter the following year; Svetlana Savitskaya, the first woman to walk in space, gave birth to a healthy boy a year and a half after returning to Earth. China’s first female astronaut, Liu Yang, revealed that she became a mother three years after completing the Shenzhou 9 mission.
Although there is still no definitive answer regarding whether Jane and Mark engaged in any activities, the experiments online are merely rumors. However, it cannot be denied that the scientific significance of intimacy in space is still very considerable. In the future, humans may settle on Mars and even establish bases on other planets. If humanity truly becomes a space species from Earth species, reproduction will be an essential part of this transition.
