A Ramble: addressing Gender Relations & Procreation in Space.

I know, I know- this could turn into a salacious thread, and I'm all for
that from time to time but realistically speaking men & women will at
some point be spending more and more time in close quarters for extended
periods of time, in Space.

The recent 'Russian Mars Mission Dry Run -- No Women Allowed' thread
resurrected some thoughts concerning this subject, including choosing
compatible people, married couple selections, Norplant and other types
of contraception, low and zero 'G' conception, fetal development and
birth in a weightless environment.

Of course if these things could be scheduled the mother would likely
want to be on a big ol' rock before she gave birth, but potentially some
people would in the future be at all times off planet. So, what to do?

There is some concern here about fetal development and children raised
without the normal gravity supplied by the Earth's mass. Perhaps
centrifugal force from a rotating habitat will serve to simulate
gravity. But that is another thread.

Another thing besides wee little ones is the social aspect of
recreational love making.

(Pause for tittering and snickering... OK now?)

Being a more of the "glass is on it's way to being filled" type person I
would not want to enforce celibacy on Astronauts.

In fact there is a '1st' which most likely has been kept from public
consumption, (Anyone who has [strictly for example] met Dr. Mae Jemison*
in person will agree she has beauty to go along with her smarts), but in
all reality while it may have been unlikely as of yet due in part to
circumstance- if we give humans enough chances and the right environment
they will likely 'get it on' as it were. And this may be a good thing,
rather than an automatic problem.

Now here we enter into a quagmire of religious, moral, jealously fueled
craziness. It would be great to remain rational but this is what
passes on the life force to succeeding generations and can't be
dismissed for it's disruptive influences and motivations.

And too, have we dealt with close quarter, extended period, intimate
contact relationships? Full Pheromone Permeation. These things might
alter basic physiology, and social dynamics beyond what we can test for
ahead of time out in the cool open air back at mission Control.

As for me, I hope to get video broadcasts from time to time of smiling
happy Astronauts, what they do on their off time is their own business.


TBerk

*http://www.engr.psu.edu/wep/EngCompSp98/Jemison.gif

"T" wrote in message
om...

I know, I know- this could turn into a salacious thread,

Do a search of the sci.space groups for "sex in space" and see how much
discussion there has been in recent years.


--
Alan Erskine
We can get people to the Moon in five years,
not the fifteen GWB proposes.
Give NASA a real challenge

Alan Erskine wrote:
"T" wrote in message
om...

I know, I know- this could turn into a salacious thread,


Do a search of the sci.space groups for "sex in space" and see how much
discussion there has been in recent years.




Um. PK.

(Damned Homework...)



TBerk