And yet another reason we need more women in STEM.
No, not so all the men can fuck them.
Because it's fucking absurd that in the last 50 years there hasn't been a real, legit, repeated study on things like 'what is going on in your ovaries in zero gravity?'
What's even more absurd is that for about 50 years, NASA's defense for why they never sent up women was because it was too complicated for them to pee. The Soviets, ever pragmatists, noted that women weigh less than men, breathe less than men and take up less room than men so sent up women a lot more often. (in diapers, if I recall correctly)
Men vastly underestimate and overthink things in cases like this. We're talking about highly intelligent women that have been wanting & training to go into space since they were probably 2 years old. I'm pretty sure they would figure out a solution even if you sent them up with no information or considerations for their peeing capabilities. There are much more complex social-engineering things that we somehow figure out at like 12 years old, with no training whatsoever (e.g. what to do with that tampon/pad when your guy friend's guest bathroom has no trash can). A diaper would be...okay. But also like this "device" is not the most highly-engineered thing in the world. Add a bit of suction and you are set.
I ain't about to defend NASA on this one. The case against them was made quite succinctly by Mary Roach in Packing for Mars. Who also, incidentally, pointed out that "girls peeing in space" is hardly the biggest challenge rocket scientists have ever faced. And yes. Female astronauts are badass. Particularly Tereshkova.
Who knew Station in Space was a research proposal?