Commercial space travel, while in the sights of certain eccentric billionaires, still remains a far-fetched proposition. But, in my view, that’s because it’s lacking the crucial ‘transitive technology’ which has jumpstarted countless human technologies from single-family dwellings to the Internet. Namely, sex.

So it was that I learned yesterday that mammalian conception seems unlikely or at least severely difficult in zero-gravity situations. Let’s consider for a moment: this planet is bursting with wealthy people who like to pay a lot for sex. If we can already convince them into paying obscene amounts for whatever various kinks and fetishes they already believe, who’s to say a promising entrepreneur couldn’t make millions off of space trysts with no need for artificial contraception? Surely the generation that grew up on Moonraker is just about at the age for this.

As always, somebody’s ahead of me. Laura Woodmansee of the National Space Society writes:

Many have wondered what it might be like to make love in space. The passionate couples who book flights to the very first space hotel will be more than excited to try zero-g sex. From what I’ve learned while working on my soon-to-be-released book, Sex in Space, I’ve come to the conclusion that honeymoons in space and out-of-this-world sex will be a reality within a decade.

Keep up with all your behind-the-curve get-rich schemes on regurgitated social networking projects, O entrepreneurs of Harvard. When I’m vastly wealthy from my shares in Dr. Nelson’s Sexy Space Adventures, in passing you by, I shall wave to you.