Space exploration and settlement is one of the greatest efforts of humanity, but challenges lie ahead. One of them is to make the space journey physically and psychologically viable and humanly compatible. Since intimacy and sexuality are fundamental needs, they are central to the compatibility of human space.
How do people in space have sex? Can the species spread outside the Earth? What are the relationships on spaceships and settlements going to look like?
Since then, NASA and other space agencies have denied any sexual activity during a space mission. Or no one is talking about it, sex in space hasn't taken place. However, imminent long human moon and Mars missions raise concerns about the future of intimacy and sexuality in space.
One important concern is to limit the chances for people to relate, intimacy and sexuality over long periods of time to space exploration and colonization. In the very near future, only small crews and settlements will be involved in human missions.
Less people are less privacy opportunities — it is difficult to find partners that connect with crew members and potentially increase tension.
Partners that fit our personality, preferences, and sexual orientation may, for example, be difficult to find. And when a relationship ends, people are stuck with a former partner on a ship – which might impair a crew 's mood and teamwork needed to survive in harmful environments.
