"(especially the effect on the partners waiting here on Earth for the astronauts return!)"

… wtf!

The sheer audacity that someone would expect their partner to wait on earth while they're of shagging someone in space.

Disgusting.

"Religious orders make good explorers". Yeah right, they can pray and sing ("How I love you How I love you Jeeeesus") their way throu the darkness of space like a bacon of light. A beacon, whatever.

Not "getting to have sex" can be emotionally taxing, but astronauts also aren't just thugs pulled in off the streets either. If the issue is a "need to feel good," or a "need to feel whole," supplements could provide long-term astronauts with relief from stress, as could focusing exercises. Historically speaking, many walks of life (not just religious wackos) have found that removing sexual urges through celebacy and focus helps to sharpen awareness.

As much as we like to think that we're just "animals," putting the human race in a box such as that for too long will inevitably stunt the evolutionary process. If there are other beings traveling the cosmos from planets outside of our own system, I doubt "getting laid" was ever on the agenda prior to thier journey. But we're young.

For sex in space …. why not make a android?(sex doll)

From the "Joe Blow" side of the argument:
Do you, Greg, realistically think you could go 3 years of non-hibernating space travel without popping one off a few times? Eventually you'd feel the urge. I don't care how mentally tough and morally sound you are. Your primal instincts and genetics would eventually take over.

Not having sex is the least of the sacrifices you'd have to endure…. although if you could be placed in a controlled state of hibernation for the bulk of the journey there and back (is this feasible?) I really don't see that it would be much of an issue.

And what about the side effects of the medication? Chances are that if you can come up with a medication that reduces sex drive, that it will probably have some sort of other side effect. Possibly side effects that would be detrimental to the successful completion of the mission. I doubt any astronaut would want to take a drug if it dulls their wits.

Of course, there is the other issue: exactly how will someone on Earth be positive that this medication is being taken? Short of using some type of implanted medication that is dispersed over time, there is no way to be certain. And even then it could be problematic to prove that they were on it the whole time. Especially on a long duration spaceflight. Humans are ingenious and if they wanted a way around it badly enough, they would come up with it.

Truthfully, the most likely way to get around sex in space is what NASA already does: psychological profiling. And we all have seen how well that can go as in the case of the Lisa Nowak who was discharged because of her attempted abduction of another astronaut candidate's girlfriend.

Way to go! Awesome the way you accept no religious nonsense (albeit, carefully worded religious nonsense).

@Kellz

You don't understand the effects of what you suggest. We have no longitudinal studies on the effects of this medication on physical, psychological or emotional stability. NASA would never go for such an option – it might mean the life of their crew.

The most natural way to address this issue is exactly as the author of this article suggests – to do studies on the needs of the astronauts and act accordingly. If the data indicates that they need "expedition wives" – so be it! Addressing this issue in a way which will ensure the mission the largest probability of success is the way they WILL proceed.

If that means everyone on board should be homosexual and take on partners of the same sex – so be that as well! NASA will select their crew accordingly.

If anyone doesn't agree with that assessment – you should call NASA an organization captained by Lucifer himself and DON'T JOIN! I assure you, the astronauts are only bettered by the lack of your presence.