Scandere De Cunabula -- “Climbing Out of the Cradle”

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The Gaia Mission Series will analyze how the extreme environmental surroundings of space, and habitat/spacecraft design impact human sexuality and reproductive capacity. In ancient Greek mythology, Gaia was the primordial goddess of the Earth, the mother of all life, and the mother of the Titans, Giants, and Cyclops. Gaia was often depicted as a motherly woman rising from the Earth, representing our planet’s fertility and nurturing power.  Biological life on Earth is estimated to be at least 3.5 billion years old, with the current human species (Homo sapiens) emerging roughly 300,000 years ago. Humankind’s entire known existence and evolution has occurred on our home planet of Earth, the cradle of our existence – but our species is now leaving the cradle, and must meet the demands of the environments beyond it.

The Gaia experiments will focus on off-world environmental impacts to human endocrinological systems (hormones) and reproductive systems/fertility, in conjunction with aligned SHARP missions studying female reproductive (Aphrodite), male reproductive (Hermes), and psychosocial (Psyche) health factors.  Gaia mission environments will vary, and will help inform development of engineered habitat environments in space which optimize human sexual function and performance, fertility/reproduction, and overall health and wellbeing.

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