The why, who, what, where, when, and how of the project.

Jonathan smiled, relieved to talk about the reason he was on the show in the first place. "Before I talk about Priapus Program let me tell you why the project happened."

"Okay," Julie nodded.

"You've seen, or at least heard of, Star Trek and Star Wars?" he asked.

"Of course!" Julie smiled politely.

The audience clapped.

"In science fiction, people travel around the galaxy in matter of hours, days, or weeks with faster-than-light travel. However, in reality nothing can move faster than light -- the speed of light in vacuum is 186,000 miles per second -- and that means light travelling from Earth to Alpha Centauri, the closest star system to our Solar System, would take 4.4 years."

"That's a long time!" Julie gasped.

"It would take us humans longer to get there," Jonathan remarked. "We don't have warp drive or hyperspace FTL technologies so with our current chemical-based propulsion engines it would take the space shuttle over 165,000 years to get there!"

The studio audience gasped.

"Scientists are working on other types of propulsion systems like fusion rockets, nuclear pulse propulsion, and laser sails. For example, Breakthrough Starshot wants to send a robotic nanocraft with solar sails called StarChip, which will theoretically travel 20% of the speed of light, to the Alpha Centauri star system in twenty to thirty years! However, these are mostly theoretical and are too costly at the moment to build for a real spaceship with people on board!"

"So could people reach Alpha Centauri then?" Julie wondered.

"Yes, but the answer isn't very exciting and glamorous as travelling on the USS Enterprise or in a X-Wing," Jonathan smirked. "Since it will take thousands of years to get to Alpha Centauri we will use generation ships -- giant spaceships that can house generations of people."

"Giant spaceships?"

"Think Noah's Ark -- they will be huge city-size spaceships that have to be entirely self-sustaining closed ecological system -- providing energy, food, air, and water for everyone on board -- and must also have extraordinarily reliable systems that could be maintained by the ship's inhabitants over centuries."

"That sounds like science fiction," Julie laughed.

"Right now it is," Jonathan chuckled.

"So how is NASA's Priapus Program related?" Julie asked.

"Since the technology is not there yet we can still do research on how people face the physical and psychological challenges of spaceflights lasting that long, especially in a closed system."

"A closed system like Biosphere 2?" Julie wondered.

"Yes, although that two-year experiment with a crew of eight people failed due to low morale, psychological problems, and infighting."

"That sounds a lot like a show I host," Julie giggled.

The studio audience laughed.

"Well, that was a privately funded experiment," Jonathan noted. "NASA currently studies the behavioral health and performance of crews in isolated environments over long periods of time -- simulating the months-long travel to Mars and living on that planet -- focusing on team dynamics, the mental and physical effects of prolonged exposure to confinement, sensory deprivation, monotony, and limited communication with the outside world.

"NASA, Russia, China, and the European Space Agency have been involved with several analog isolation experiments, such as MARS-500, Human Exploration Research Analog, Hawaii Space Exploration Analog and Simulation, and Nezemnyy Eksperimental’nyy Kompleks. The duration of most of these experiments were from three to twelve months with four to eight crew in a small closed habitat."

"Again, that sounds a lot like a show I host," Julie smiled. "If you ever need a host..."

The studio audience laughed.

"Now, Priapus is an interesting name," Julie noted as she looked down at her notes. "Priapus was a minor Greek fertility god who was also the protector of livestock, fruit plants, and male genitals. He was depicted as having an oversized and permanent erection."

The studio audience gasped.

"I didn't pick the name," Jonathan blushed.

"NASA likes to name its spacecraft and missions after Greek and Roman gods. So why Priapus?" Julie inquired in a more serious tone.

"NASA wants to study the long term effects of families in a closed environment," he explained.

"Families?" she wondered.

"Well, in the generation ships people will have babies and those babies will grow up to be adults who then will have more babies..."

"So you will study couples?"

Jonathan glanced at his mother before answering. "Not exactly..."

"What do you mean?"

"For a multiyear voyage, weight is a big concern -- women tend to be smaller and weigh less than men, which in turn means less fuel needed for the ship. Women's bodies are also more efficient -- they require about 25% less daily calories to maintain their weight than a man of equal size -- and they lose weight slower on a restrictive diet. So this means women's bodies need significantly less food and oxygen."

The studio audience cheered and clapped.

"Fewer calories and oxygen in also means less waste out -- smaller bodies create and release less waste -- both bodily waste and carbon dioxide,” Jonathan continued. "Less waste means less stress on shipboard systems and less weight to carry on a multiyear voyage."

"So you're saying there will be more women?" Julie asked.

"Yes," Jonathan nodded. "The ratio of men to women will be about one to twelve."

"So why need any men at all then?" Julie asked. "They can always store sperm and do artificial insemination if they want babies?"

"But who will open the jar lids?" Jonathan joked.

The studio audience laughed.

"Seriously though, those are a possibility but that requires liquid nitrogen tanks for the storage of sperm and artificial insemination is not a guaranteed success," Jonathan explained. "Sometimes Mother Nature's old fashion way of making babies is cheaper, better, easier..."

"...and more fun!" Julie joked.

The studio audience laughed.

"Yes, and that too," Jonathan chuckled.

"So you will be involved in the Priapus Program?" Julie inquired.

"Yes, I will be one of the crew."

"How many people will be in the crew?"

"Thirteen, including myself."

"Twelve women?" Julie coaxed, glancing at his mother.

"Yes..." He looked at his mother for her reaction.

"What do you think of your son alone with twelve women?" Julie asked Iris.

"Hopefully I will have a daughter-in-law and grandchildren!" Iris giggled.

The studio audience laughed.

"This is a scientific experiment..." Jonathan began.

"My maternal grandfather had nine wives and eleven children," Julie interjected.

"...where we will study how a group of people deal with each other in a closed environment."

"Nine wives!" Iris repeated to her son. "Can you handle twelve?"

Jonathan sighed when he was saved by a commercial break.