Since the International Space Station, ISS, became operational, the length of astronaut stays in the weightlessness of space have increased from days or weeks to months and years. The crews now regularly consist of both men and women. Only one married couple, Mark Lee and Jen Davis, has been on a space mission together. Their trip was on board the now-decommissioned Space Shuttle, which offers no privacy. Although NASA claims that no astronauts have had sex off Earth, that will change as NASA and other space agencies plan for eventual permanently manned stations in orbit around or on the surface of the Moon. Eventually, NASA plans to send crews to Mars and, in the more distant future, have permanent colonies on Mars. A round trip to Mars, even if they don’t land there to study the planet, will take as much as three years.
A
senior NASA research scientist, Fathi Karouia, co-wrote a paper along with
eight other experts in reproductive medicine, aerospace health, and bioethics. They
took as their goal to study and identify any risks and define the gaps in
research and governance of conception in space. "As human presence in
space expands, reproductive health can no longer remain a policy blind
spot," Karouia said in a statement. "International collaboration is
urgently needed to close critical knowledge gaps and establish ethical
guidelines that protect both professional and private astronauts, and
ultimately safeguard humanity as we move toward a sustained presence beyond
Earth."
Giles
Palmer, a senior clinical embryologist at the International IVF Initiative who
led the new study, said in the paper, "As human activity shifts from short
missions to sustained presence beyond Earth, reproduction moves from abstract possibility
to practical concern."
Limited
laboratory experimentation and data on astronauts on longer ISS flights give
scientists some worrisome details. They show us that weightlessness, radiation,
altered circadian rhythms, psychological stress, and prolonged isolation all
pose risks to the reproductive functions in both women and men.
Several
insects have been taken into space and allowed to breed. Findings of these
experiments showed accelerated aging and immune system compromise, among other
irregularities, but all were able to successfully breed. Follow-up studies of
the offspring back on Earth haven’t been performed.
Certain
physical peculiarities have been seen in astronauts. Those who stay in space
for too long develop puffy heads and bird-like, thin legs. This occurs because
the heart can more easily pump blood up to the head, so much so that their
brains start to float and move around a bit. As their bodily fluids move toward
the heads of astronauts, they can develop neuro-ocular syndrome. The optic
nerve swells due to greater fluid pressure, causing the back of the eye to
flatten. According to NASA, 70% of astronauts on the ISS experience some amount
of swelling in the back of their eyes. This may cause blurry vision and the
occasional headache. Glasses can help alleviate this. On Earth, your bones and
muscles must constantly work to keep you upright against the pull of gravity.
With a lack of gravity, that’s no longer necessary, and astronauts lose bone
and muscle mass.
While
all these effects eventually return to normal upon returning to Earth's normal
gravity, the concern is how such issues might affect a fetus in the womb. A
fetus conceived in space won’t have ever experienced “normal” body functions
for the body to return to. How will such physical changes affect their
development?
We
will eventually go to the Moon and on to Mars. A trip to Mars will last longer
than the gestation period of a human baby. It is possible that those children
will never be able to come back home after growing up in such a different gravitational
environment. They may end up becoming the first true Martians.
Each month, I write an astronomy-related column piece
for the Oklahoman newspaper. After
it is published there, I post that same column to my blog page.
This is reprinted with
permission from the Oklahoman and www.Oklahoman.com.
