Sex in space ‘dolphin-style’ is the new frontier as scientists call for snuggies, straddling and Velcro

More than 675 people have traveled to space, but according to NASA, none of them had sex in the final frontier.

Experts believe this will soon change as more citizens pay commercial space companies, such as Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin and Richard Branson’s Virgin Galactic, to go into space – albeit at a high price.

With this new era of spaceflight, physician, astronaut and “space sexology” expert Dr. Shawna Pandya reveals specific ‘moves’ and technologies designed to deliver an otherworldly experience.

She suggested trying ‘dolphin style’ to overcome the challenges of low gravity.

“Dolphins are in a kind of neutral floating environment,” explained Dr. Pandya on Scientific American’s Science Quickly podcast. “When two dolphins try to mate, a third dolphin comes in, takes one for the team and holds a partner in place so the two dolphins can mate successfully.”

Other experts in the field have also suggested suits with Velcro to keep couples from drifting apart, or even a specially designed suit that fits two people.

Dr. Pandya said there are good reasons for researchers to begin seriously testing some of these strategies and exploring others.

‘More people will want to go to space for fun, for leisure and for enjoyment… We need to think about how we approach sexuality, sexual health and reproduction in space in a way that is very deliberate, conscious, inclusive and ethical she said

Although NASA does not explicitly ban sex in space, its code of conduct for astronauts calls for maintaining “relationships of trust” and “professional standards” at all times.

The space agency has also banned married couples from going into space together – although this is mainly due to group dynamics rather than concerns about them having sex.

But the problem why astronauts don’t copulate could be the low gravity in the International Space Station (ISS).

“So we have to think about Newton’s third law of nature,” Dr. Pandya explained during the podcast.

“Every action has an equal and opposite reaction, including momentum, right? You have to figure out how to stay intertwined so that you can actually and successfully copulate.

“There are people who have thought about that,” she added.

One of those people is the late Vanna Bonta, an American actress and inventor who designed the ‘2Suit’ in 2006.

“It’s like a hug for two people, but they have to be tied together,” says Dr. Pandya explained.

The 2suit is a flight suit with a large front flap that can be opened with Velcro and attached to another 2suit. It can also be mounted on a stable surface.

Paul Root Wolpe, a former NASA bioethicist, previously told us DW.com: ‘Everything on the walls of the space station is covered in Velcro, so you can take advantage of that by attaching one partner to the wall.’

The suit’s space can be adjusted from the inside and it is lined with inner harnesses that can be used to adjust the alignment of the wearer’s bodies.

It even has a ‘quick-disrobe’ function that removes the garments.

In 2008, History Channel manufactured and tested the first 2Suit, calling it “one small step for humanity colonizing the universe.”

But these futuristic sex suits have yet to be produced or used on a larger scale.

Another pioneering space sexologist was the German astronaut Ulrich Walter. In the 1980s, he suggested that people should look to the animal kingdom for inspiration on how to achieve sex in space.

“So his suggestion is why doesn’t an astronaut take one for the team so they can do it all dolphin style in the name of the greater good so we can mate in space,” Dr Pandya said.

But it’s not just the low gravity that stands in the way.

Dr. Adam Watkins, associate professor of reproductive and developmental physiology, at the University of Nottingham, previously told DailyMail.com that lack of privacy on space stations poses another challenge, as do problems getting and maintaining an erection due to the blood pressure changes that occur. while you are in space.

Moreover, sex in space can have serious consequences.

If a non-civilian astronaut became pregnant in space, it would raise many questions that experts are currently unsure how to answer.

‘Can we mandate a termination of the mission? Can we mandate termination of that pregnancy if they are on Mars because of the health risks associated with it? There are so many ethical discussions that can be raised here,” Dr Pandya asked.

And those health risks can be life-threatening for both the astronaut mother and her baby.

‘DNA damage from high levels of cosmic rays is a real concern. Astronauts who spend six months in space are exposed to about the same amount of radiation as a thousand chest X-rays,” Dr. Watkins previously said.

‘A pregnant woman and her developing fetus would also be exposed to those cosmic rays in space. This can be harmful to the embryos and fetus.’

A recent study on the ISS found that mouse embryos developed on the ISS for four days showed no signs of damage.

But a study published earlier in 2020 actually found that space-developed mouse embryos “contained severe DNA damage.”

Because only a few people have gone into space, we don’t have enough data to really know what the effects would be on an unborn child.

“Until recently, space reproduction has not been a major priority for the various space agencies,” said Dr. Watkins.

“With plans to colonize the moon and even Mars, the question of how we would populate other worlds has become increasingly important and will need to be addressed if we are to establish, maintain and grow human colonies beyond Earth.”