(CNN) It's one small step for science, and potentially one giant leap for mankind's ability to populate space.

Spanish scientists have found that frozen sperm samples are still viable after exposure to simulated space flight, opening up the possibility of an space-based sperm bank.

The small preliminary study, presented at the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology in Vienna which began Sunday, exposed human sperm samples to microgravity

In microgravity, which is sometimes misleadingly referred to as zero gravity, there are limited effects of gravity and objects appear to be weightless.

The samples were then analyzed for concentration, motility, vitality, morphology and DNA fragmentation. Researchers found there was almost no difference between the control sperm on Earth, and the sperm which had been exposed to microgravity.

Read More