NASA astronaut gives surprising answer to whether sex in space is really possible

Astronauts are constantly flooded with questions about their experiences in outer space, yet few have actually broached the topic of intimacy, as many wonder if the logistics of zero gravity living make sex in space actually possible.

You might be wondering what space smells like when you're up there for months on end, or what astronauts actually get to eat — especially when those special occasions roll around.

However, one thing you might not have considered is whether it's possible for astronauts to have sex in space, as with some being stuck up on the International Space Station for months on end, some have speculated that the temptation might arise.

Thankfully one retired NASA astronaut has addressed that concern, discussing the practicalities of intimacy on board a spaceship, and revealing whether anyone's ever actually done the deed.

Shared as part of LADbible's Honesty Box series, former astronaut, engineer, and aquanaut Nicole Stott answered a wide variety of questions to do with her time in space — which encompasses over 100 days across two separate trips.

One of the first questions she addressed was whether it was possible to have sex in space, and she had a rather intriguing answer.

"Probably," Stott replied simply while laughing, adding: "I don't think there's anything that would physically prevent you from having sex in space. I don't know that anybody has while they were there, I did not.

"But just like, you know, I think about floating and swimming in a pool, you can have sex there. And if somebody wants to have sex in space, I think they'll figure out how to have sex in space."

Sex in space is technically possible according to Stott, but it's never been tried to her knowledge (Getty Stock)

So, it's not necessarily that it can't be done, but just that within her own knowledge and understanding it hasn't been done so far. The International Space Station is a workplace after all, and most astronauts have their own families waiting for them back at home.

That could become a possibility that humans will have to grapple with if (or when) colonization efforts begin though, as many billionaires including Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos believe it won't be long until everybody is living in space, and not by necessity either.

That could certainly be a dealbreaker for many when it comes to starting a new life in other parts of our solar system, and it might even pose a problem when it comes to reproduction if it doesn't work as well as it does on Earth, but when it comes to the astronauts currently living outside of Earth's limits, there's been no intimacy so far.