Advanced SpaceLife Research Institute
Announcements / News
12 April 2025
ASRI Top 3 Scientists Featured on the Economist's "Weekend Intelligence" Podcast
Drs. Layendecker, Pandya and Dubé were all featured in an episode of the "Weekend Intelligence" podcast released today, produced and distributed by the globally-renowned Economist. The episode, titled "Can We Make Babies in Space?" featured the Advanced SpaceLife Research Institute and its founding scientists prominently, as Economist Global Health Editor Natasha Loder queried them on the mechanics of sex in space, the history of the research, and considerations for safe and healthy sexual reproduction in space in the future. You can listen to the full episode via their website here.
01 November 2024
ASRI Scientists Unveil Key Organizational Priorities for Coming Decades at New Worlds Conference
Drs. Shawna Pandya and Alex Layendecker co-presented on human sexuality and reproduction factors in outer space during the 2024 New Worlds Conference at NASA Johnson Space Center today. The two highlighted key aspects of the science conducted to date while stressing the knowledge gaps that still exist, spoke on ASRI's plans to address those gaps in the future, and issued a call to action for space organizations and individuals present to support a scientific symposium planned for this type of research in late 2025. More information on the symposium, which will be co-hosted by ASRI, is available here.
22 July 2024
ASRI Director Featured as Guest on New Zealand-based Sex in Space Podcast
Dr. Alex Layendecker was recently featured on the podcast that secured the "www.sexinspace.com" URL before ASRI was ever able to. The amiable conversation with host Toshi discussed numerous aspects of sex, romance and reproduction in space, and was the first time the Sex in Space podcast had featured a discussion on sex in actual outer space itself. You can view the full podcast episode (ironically their 69th) here.
15 July 2024
ASRI Director and Chief of Space Medicine to Speak at AIAA's 2024 ASCEND Conference
Two members of the ASRI team will be speaking at the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics 2024 ASCEND Conference, scheduled to take place in Las Vegas, Nevada, from 30 July to 1 August. Dr. Shawna Pandya, astronaut and ASRI Chief of Space Medicine, and Dr. Alexander Layendecker, ASRI Director and former USAF Combat Rescue pilot, will both be speaking at the MICRO-27 “In-space Incident Response and Rescue Responsibilities” session taking place 31 July 2024, from 4:30 - 5:30 PM Pacific Time at Caesars Forum. Other members of the panel include Mr. Layne Carter, Dr. Jan Osburg, Dr. Grant Cates, and Dr. Tom Marshburn, former NASA astronaut. You can learn more about the conference and panel here.
20 June 2024
ASRI PRESS RELEASE: ASRI CHIEF OF SPACE MEDICINE, DR. SHAWNA PANDYA, SELECTED AS ASTRONAUT BY INTERNATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR ASTRONAUTICAL SCIENCES
ASRI's Chief of Space Medicine, Dr. Shawna Pandya, has been officially selected by the International Institute for Astronautical Sciences (IIAS) - at which she serves as the Director of their Space Medicine Group - as IIAS Astronaut 002! This enormous achievement follows a dedicated lifetime of hard work, accomplishment, perseverance, and professionalism by Dr. Pandya in pursuing her lifelong dream of becoming an astronaut. ASRI Director Dr. Alex Layendecker gave the following statement upon the announcement:
"We at the Advanced SpaceLife Research Institute are immensely proud of Dr. Pandya, who represents the very best ASRI has to offer, and congratulate her on her selection as a Virgin Galactic Astronaut. Her contributions to ASRI and our research field have been indispensable, and we look forward to supporting her on every step of her journey into the stars. On a personal note, Shawna has been a great fellow researcher, coauthor, speaker and friend over the last decade of knowing her, and I’m incredibly glad that I’m getting to witness her achieving her lifelong dream. Ad Astra, Shawna."
Dr. Pandya, who is the first named Canadian female commercial astronaut in history, and only the fourth female astronaut of Indian origin/heritage, is expected to take flight aboard the Virgin Galactic Delta Class of spacecraft in the coming years as they become fully operational. You can read Dr. Pandya's announcement post here. Congratulations to Dr. Pandya!
11 June 2024
Dr. Alex Layendecker Featured as a Guest on Smithsonian's AirSpace Podcast
ASRI's Director was recently features on the Smithsonian Institution's National Air and Space Museum official podcast, AirSpace, for the third episode of their ninth season, "Let's Talk About Sex". The conversation centered around the concept of massive "generation ships" and how the human species and our sexuality might evolve out in space over the course of multiple generations. You can listen to the full episode here.
22 April 2024
ASRI Director to Speak at 2024 International Space Development Conference
Dr. Alex Layendecker, ASRI Director, will be featured at the annual International Space Development Conference (ISDC) on Thursday, 23 March 2024. His presentation, "Securing Future Generations in Outer Space: Addressing the Indispensable Science of Sexual Reproduction in Off-Earth Environments" will be featured under the Space Health track on the opening day of the conference. You can learn more details about ISDC and the Space Health presentation lineup here.
10 February 2024
ASRI Advisory Board Member, Dr. Shawna Pandya, and Research Fellow Dr. Simon Dubé Featured on Scientific American's "Science, Quickly" Podcast
Dr. Shawna Pandya, ASRI advisory board member and researcher, and Research Fellow Dr. Simon Dube, psychologist and sexologist, were featured together in an interview with Scientific American, during a short but lighthearted and informative discussion on sex in space and how it might occur in the future. A recording of their joint interview can be accessed here.
23 January 2024
ASRI Director to Participate in Humanity in Deep Space "Reproduction in Space Panel", 25 January
Dr. Alex Layendecker will join Dr. Egbert Edelbroek, CEO of SpaceBorn United Inc., and Dr. Scott Solomon, author and evolutionary biologist, for an online video forum discussing reproduction factors in space from 1 - 2 PM US Eastern Time on Thursday, 25 January 2024, with moderator Kris Kimel of Humanity in Deep Space. The forum will be open format with questions posed by viewers and discussion around the most significant factors that must be addressed in the near future. You can register for the free event on Eventbrite here.
18 November 2023
Dr. Alex Layendecker and Dr. Shawna Pandya Deliver Sex in Space Presentation for 2023 New Worlds Conference
Drs. Alex Layendecker and Shawna Pandya of ASRI co-presented on the facets of sex and reproduction in space for a curious and engaging crowd at the New Worlds 2023 Conference in Austin, Texas, today. The fireside-chat style presentation discussed topics such as the approaching risks of uncontrolled conception in the space tourism industry, the lagging rate of research on reproduction in space, and also featured Drs. Egbert Edelbroek and Marta Ferraz, CEO and CRO of Spaceborn United Inc.
11 November 2023
ASRI Director Featured as Guest on "SpaceRox" Podcast with Roxy Brown and Gonzalo Martin
Dr. Alex Layendecker joined the SpaceRox Podcast, based in the United Kingdom, with hosts Roxy Brown and Gonzalo Martin, a European Space Agency researcher, to discuss human sexuality and relationship factors, as well as reproduction challenges in outer space. The episode, titled "Exploring the Final Frontier of Intimacy: Sex and Reproduction in Space" featured a relaxed but informative conversation on many of the issues ASRI is currently researching. You can listen to a recording of the conversation here.
20 October 2023
ASRI Mission Featured on iRoc Space Radio's "The Space Revolution" with Rick Tumlinson
Dr. Alex Layendecker discussed ASRI and its mission today on iRoc Space Radio, during an interview for Episode #24 of "The Space Revolution" radio-podcast hosted by prominent NewSpace industry leader Rick Tumlinson, founder of groundbreaking space organizations such as Deep Space Industries, SpaceFund, Space Frontier Foundation, New Worlds Institute, and Earthlight Foundation. The pair discussed reproductive biology, challenges to the human reproductive cycle, and research organizations such as ASRI and SpaceBorn United Inc. You can listen to a recording of the episode here.
12 September 2023
ASRI Featured on SpaceWatch.Global's "Space Café Podcast" with SpaceBorn United Inc.
Just released: Interview of ASRI Director, Dr. Alex Layendecker, and CEO of SpaceBorn United Inc., Dr. Egbert Edelbroek, recorded back in March during their conference visit at SXSW 2023. Podcast host Markus Mooslechner asks questions about some of the more fascinating aspects of sex in outer space, whether or not it has already occurred, and what the next steps might be toward a successful "cosmic coupling." You can listen to the full conversation here.
20 August 2023
ASRI Director to be Featured Guest on "The Space Show" Radio Program on 27 August 2023
Dr. Alex Layendecker will be speaking with Dr. David Livingston as a guest on "The Space Show" radio and internet broadcast on Sunday, 27 August 2023, to discuss the scientific considerations of human sexual activity in space, as well as the recent green paper released on concerns of uncontrolled conception in emerging space tourism. The discussion will happen live, beginning at 3 PM US Eastern Standard time that day. You can listen to the episode here.
03 July 2023
ASRI Director Interviewed by John Jossy of Space Settlement Progress
ASRI was featured in an interview published today by Space Settlement Progress chief author John Jossy. The interview discussed physiological issues surrounding reproduction in space environments, known challenges, the RADIO-EE Scale, and included a review of what "gravity prescription" might be required for reproduction to viably succeed in off-Earth locales such as Mars. You can read the full conversation between Mr. Jossy and ASRI's Director Alex Layendecker here.
28 May 2023
ASRI Featured During LaunchPad Track at 2023 International Space Development Conference
Dr. Alex Layendecker spoke as a member of the 2023 LaunchPad Track at the International Space Development Conference sponsored by the National Space Society, in Dallas, Texas on Sunday. ISDC's LaunchPad is modeled to resemble "TED talks for space", and featured a diversity of speakers and pertinent topics. Dr. Layendecker's presentation discussed the urgent need for humanity to commit to research on reproduction and sexuality in space environments and an overview of ASRI and its mission, as well as those of several ASRI mission partners.
30 April 2023
Dr. Alex Layendecker Featured as Repeat Guest on "Sex Nerd Podcast" with Dr. Victoria Hartmann
ASRI Director Dr. Alex Layendecker was featured for his second appearance on Dr. Victoria Hartmann's "Sex Nerd Podcast" to discuss the recently released space tourism green paper, SXSW, and ongoing ASRI developments, as well as the future of the commercial space industry. Dr. Hartmann is a clinical/forensic sexologist, Director of the Erotic Heritage Museum in Las Vegas, Nevada, and serves on the ASRI advisory board. You can watch the full interview at this link.
28 April 2023
Space Tourism Green Paper Press Release Gains Traction Among News Outlets
Multiple scientific and mainstream news organizations have released articles covering the jointly sponsored Green Paper, "Sex in Space: Consideration of uncontrolled human conception in emerging space tourism" to include outlets such as Futurism, Interesting Engineering, and Phys.org. ASRI Director Dr. Alex Layendecker is featured in many of the pieces alongside his colleagues.
28 April 2023
ASRI Director Hosts Industry Feedback Session for Recent Green Paper at the Space Tourism Conference in Los Angeles, California
Dr. Alex Layendecker hosted a feedback and review session for the recently released Green Paper, "Sex in Space: Consideration of uncontrolled human conception in emerging space tourism" at the 2023 Space Tourism conference today. The event was held to capture input from professionals and business leaders in the rapidly developing space tourism industry, for refinement of later drafts of the paper and potential follow-ons. The session lasted just over an hour and featured multiple co-authors joining by teleconference to answer questions from attendees, to include first author Professor David Cullen, who led the discussion.
26 April 2023
"Sex in Space: Consideration of uncontrolled human conception in emerging space tourism" Green Paper Mentioned on 'Jimmy Kimmel Live!'
Late night comedian Jimmy Kimmel mentioned the recent space tourism paper jointly released by Cranfield University, SpaceBorn United Inc. and ASRI during his Wednesday evening opening monologue, gaining the paper exposure on a nationally televised program. You can view the monologue at this link.
24 April 2023
JOINT PRESS RELEASE WITH CRANFIELD UNIVESITY AND SPACEBORN UNITED INC.:
Dr. David Cullen, Professor of Astrobiology & Space Biotechnology at Cranfield University in the United Kingdom, has released a preliminary draft green paper in collaboration with both ASRI and SpaceBorn United Inc., "Sex in Space: Consideration of uncontrolled human conception in emerging space tourism" for public consultation.
The paper will be presented as part of a side panel workshop at the Space Tourism Conference (STC) in Los Angeles, California on Friday, April 28th, 2023, to receive industry feedback from conference participants. ASRI Director Dr. Alex Layendecker served as one the paper's coauthors and will run the STC workshop. A downloadable copy of the current draft is now available at this link.
17 April 2023
ASRI Director Presents at SXSW 2023
ASRI Director Dr. Alex Layendecker recently represented the institute at the world-renowned SXSW Conference in Austin, Texas, acting as moderator for the featured scientific panel "Sex in Space: Sex & Reproduction Beyond Earth" under SXSW's 2050 Track.
The panel guests were Shawna Pandya, MD, citizen-scientist, astronaut candidate and emergency medicine physician, Egbert Edelbroek, PhD, CEO of SpaceBorn United Inc., and Simon Dubé, PhD, psychologist, sexologist, and Kinsey Institute research fellow.
Journalist L. Wundrock covered the event for Grey Journal, which you can view at this link.