Credit: Cranfield University
Key points:
- Human reproduction in space needs to be seriously considered as the space tourism industry grows.
- A new paper says there are both biological and commercial risks of human conception in space that need to be openly discussed.
- Applicable parties are debating the new paper and its implications at a space conference this week.
Until recently, space visitors have always been professional astronauts, visiting microgravity with “working.” Now, however, space travel is not restricted to professionals and the industry of space tourism is expected to grow substantially over the next decade.
Space tourism opens the door to a host of questions, including “what would a human conception in space mean for the sector?” That’s the situation posed by an international group of scientists, clinicians and other interested parties who have authored a paper on the topic.
According to the researchers, the implications of sex in space are not being considered seriously enough at the moment.
“Our starting point was a throwaway comment about sex in space, but when we checked, we were surprised the sector has not openly considered the risks and this led to the study,” said lead author David Cullen, a professor of astrobiology & space biotechnology at Cranfield University.
The paper argues it is unrealistic to assume all future space tourists will abstain from sexual activities, opening the possibility of human conception and the early stages of human reproduction occurring in space. This could pose several risks: those of a biological nature, such as embryo developmental risks, and those of a commercial nature, such as liability, litigation and reputational damage.
The authors of the study strongly recommend that all the relevant parties involved in the space tourism sector enter into open discussions concerning the risks and mitigations, and develop and disseminate best practice approaches within the sector.
“Given the long-term importance of human reproduction beyond Earth, as humanity is trying to become a multi-planetary species, we need to take seriously the possible first step, whether this is planned, or especially if unplanned,” said Egbert Edelbroek, head of SpaceBorn United, a Netherlands-based organization researching human reproduction in space.
The recently published paper will be debated during the Space Tourism Conference on Friday.