Scientists have finally tackled a question that many have secretly wondered about, what happens if an astronaut ejaculates in space?
Astronauts spend months in space, which raises some natural questions: Can they have sex? Can they masturbate? And if they do, what would happen?
Experts have broken down the physics of it all, and NASA has weighed in on the topic as well.
Could Ejaculation Propel an Astronaut Backwards?
Dr. Esme Louise James, a sex historian, and Dr. Matt Agnew, an AI expert, discussed this question on TikTok.
They explained that, due to the law of conservation of momentum, an astronaut ejaculating in space would actually be pushed backward, though not by much.
Dr. Matt explained:
“The conservation of momentum says that the total momentum of two or more bodies in a system will remain the same.”
Essentially, the force exerted during ejaculation would transfer momentum to the astronaut’s body, pushing them in the opposite direction.
How Fast Would an Astronaut Move?
To calculate this, the scientists estimated:
- Average ejaculate volume: About one teaspoon
- Density: Around one gram per milliliter
- Speed of ejaculation: Around 45 km/h (28 mph)
- Average astronaut weight: 70 kg (154 lbs)
Using these numbers, they determined that the astronaut would move backward at about 0.000562 meters per second—or roughly 2 meters per hour.
That’s about the speed of an average garden snail!
Dr. Matt joked that if someone wanted to use their ejaculate as a propulsion system in space, they wouldn’t get very far.
Is Sex in Space Possible?
Dr. Adam Watkins, associate professor in reproductive and developmental physiology at the University of Nottingham, explained that sex in space is technically possible, but it wouldn’t be easy.
In microgravity, simple actions become challenging. Two people trying to have sex would struggle to stay together since every movement would push them apart. This would likely require astronauts to use restraints or some sort of anchoring system.
Has Anyone Had Sex in Space?
As of now, there’s no confirmed record of any sexual encounters in space.
However, that doesn’t mean it hasn’t happened—just that no astronaut has ever admitted to it.
What Does NASA Say?
NASA doesn’t have strict rules against sex in space but relies on the professionalism of its astronauts.
Sandra Jones, a spokesperson for NASA’s Johnson Space Center, told Mashable:
“We depend and rely on the professionalism and good judgment of our astronauts.”
In other words, NASA leaves it up to the astronauts to act responsibly while on missions.
The Final Verdict
While an astronaut ejaculating in space would technically push them backward, the force is so small that it wouldn’t be noticeable.
Sex in space is possible but would be extremely difficult due to microgravity.
And as far as anyone knows, no astronaut has ever admitted to having sex in space.
For now, it seems that NASA’s space missions are staying strictly professional.