Sex in Space [Paperback]

Laura S. Woodmansee (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 1, 2006

As hoteliers design zero-gravity hotel suites for out-of-this-world unions and with the first honeymoon in space already scheduled, this provocative account reveals the truth about romantic rendezvous in Earth's orbit and beyond as well as the advantages and difficulties of having sex in space. Questions the space agencies are too embarrassed to discuss—such as Has anyone "done it" in space? What will happen to the first baby conceived in space? and Have astronauts and cosmonauts practiced "docking maneuvers" while in orbit?—are thoughtfully answered, while science-fiction myths about interstellar intercourse are dispelled. From chemistry to psychology, this exploration runs the reproductive and sexual gamut, from lust and sexual mechanics to conception, pregnancy, and birth in low-gravity situations.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Laura S. Woodmansee is the author of Women Astronauts and Women of Space.

Product Details

• Paperback: 136 pages
• Publisher: Collector's Guide Publishing, Inc. (August 1, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1894959442
• ISBN-13: 978-1894959445
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 5.9 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #160,311 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars What Sex in Space?, November 8, 2007

By 

C. A. Stidsen (Tolland, CT United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Sex in Space (Paperback)

It's a titillating (pin intended) title, done in hot pink, so one would expect some confirmation(or not)of whether or not "the Act" has ever been done in space. But alas, in 136 pages,author Woodmansee can not find either documentary nor anecdotal evidence of anyone joining the 100 Mile High Club.

Men have been going into space since 1961 (Yuri Gagarin),Women since 1963 (Valentina Tereschkova),and the first flight of a mixed sex crew (Svetlana Savitskaya, Leonid Popov, Alexander Serbrov) in 1982. So, it is conceivable(there's that pun again) that the first orbital...uh..docking...occurred with a Russian Crew. And - while there is some conjecture, again, no positive evidence comes to the fore.

So, if not, why not? The Author notes the difficulty that many humans have in adapting to weightlessness,and to making love in a zero-G environment either in a crowded spacecraft or in the relatively spacious Shuttle. Questions like "who hangs on to what, when and how?" are covered using action figures (named Barbarella and Buck) in Chapter 2. Hugh Hefner has nothing to worry about from any of the illustrations.

But the book quickly becomes serious . Chapter 3 , entitled:"Making space babies:conception,pregnancy and birth" looks into aspects of space love that most people (men especially)haven't given much thought to(kind of like the saturday night bar scene on earth). Confirming the notion that Mother Nature has a sense of humor, Woodmansee notes that at least one Astronaut had erections occur fairly frequently during his three missions, but also noted that sperm motility suffers reduced levels.The problems of radiation effects on DNA during pregnancy are also reviewed. So far as is known,no pregnant women have flown in space. Yet.

There are some societlal concerns explored, noting that from the beginning, space has largely been a male enclave, and the needs of the mission have always taken precedence over personal needs. Let's face it - the Astronaut Corps has always been composed of disciplined,mission-oriented people(both male and female)(ground partying and off-duty affairs aside) who can justify the enormous cost of lofting folks into orbit and supporting them while they are there. The beginnings of space tourism, putting rich but not necesssarily mission-oriented people into orbit,are not mentioned, probably because there have not enough participants,yet.

As more people(of more countries)go into space for longer periods, for mission, economic or recreational reasons, someone will figure out a way to cut a notch into the bedpost (or sleeping area supports),and get their names into the History books(or at least men's bathroom walls) around the world. But, it hasn't POSITIVELY happened yet, as far as Ms. Woodmansee has been able to find out. Will we get out there and spread pollen and Earth culture(for better or worse) throughout space? You betcha. Flash Gordon, Captain Kirk and other folks have been doing so for years in fiction. It's just a matter of time before fiction becomes reality. And when it does, hopefully CG Publishing will be there with the details and pictures. Barbarella and Buck, eat your heart out.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Leaves The Reader Thinking, March 28, 2007

By 

Franklin H. Neal III (Castle Rock, CO USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Sex in Space (Paperback)

Sex in space was a fun and interesting book to read. Once you get past the giggle factor, you realize that this book actually discusses serious issues to consider for long term habitation in space. We consider such topics as relations in space, as well the potential consequences of reproduction. What if a child was born in zero gee and lived his entire life with little or no gravity? These are the types of topics that NASA would be discussing if they were actually serious about long duration missions or colonization of other planets. Sex in Space is an interesting read and provokes a lot of thoughts and questions about our future in space.

1 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Sex in Space, true or false?, January 3, 2007

By 

Tibor Timothy Vajda (Sydney, New South Wales Australia) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Sex in Space (Paperback)

Evrything concerning space travel, its future, the effects on space travellers, how can astronauts adapt to space on long journeys is fascinating people. Sex in Space deals with the interrelationship of female and male astronauts and the posible effects on their babies whose lire began in Space, in a space capsule, space station.
Woodmansee revied all available literature on teh subject.