The surface of Venus is not the friendliest place. Atmospheric the pressure here is 90 times greater than the earth. Temperature may reach values five times higher than the boiling point of water. Add to this concentrated acid rain and air, consisting of up to 95% carbon dioxide – and you get natural hell. No wonder all the probes sent to Venus died, barely entering the atmosphere.
A photo from open sources
NASA points to these facts in its new report – and in it advocates the creation of long-term missions in our skies neighboring planet. The project, called High Altitude Venus Operational Concept (HAVOC) involves the placement of space balloons at an altitude of about 50 kilometers above the surface Venus, where astronauts will be able to work in a friendlier conditions.
Sufficiently thick atmosphere of the planet will be able to protect astronauts from cosmic radiation, but at the same time will allow the use of the Sun in as a source of energy. Gravity is expected here will be approximately 85% of the earth’s, and the temperature maximum will be reach 80 degrees. NASA engineers can solve all these problems using modern materials and technologies.
The project can be divided into five stages:
Robotic research One-month orbital mission One-month atmospheric mission Annual atmospheric mission Long stay with interchangeable crews
The pluses of the project include half the distance to Venus than before Mars, and in addition, stations soaring in the clouds do not the dust clogging the mechanisms is terrible.
A photo from open sources
Not without a project and requiring solutions to serious problems. For instance, engineers will have to find a way to reduce the speed of the atmosphere of space stations from 7,500 meters per second to 0, and stabilize their position and height above the surface of Venus.
Despite the temptation and relative ease of implementation HAVOC project, research missions to Mars are still more interesting in every sense, as they can provide scientists a wider range of scientific evidence. In addition, in the study Mars has already taken enough steps to now unfold for a more “light” project soaring in the atmosphere Venus stations.
Venus Mars NASA
