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chaostheories36 t1_isl288q wrote

Reply to comment by Ok_Marionberry_9932 in NASA aces test of robot balloon that could one day explore Venus by MicroSofty88

I thought it was the atmosphere in general? I’m sure the surface isn’t any better lol

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Confused_Idol t1_isl5e5c wrote

The atmosphere did less thick the higher in orbit you get, just like earth. So less pressure, less heat and less corrosive.

So in theory at least there a sweet spot that would allow for us to investigate from the air for extended periods of time.

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chaostheories36 t1_isl8zum wrote

Ahhh I was thinking about it the wrong way. I was only remembering that even the upper atmosphere is still a pretty horrible place to be, which is why they haven’t managed a balloon “rover” until … well not now but hopefully soon.

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Confused_Idol t1_isl9cq8 wrote

Well, they (Soviets, not NASA) kinda did back on the 80s. Vega.

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duffmanhb t1_isnmbln wrote

It’s wild to see that they managed to actually land, much less get a photo in those extreme temperatures

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Subject-Base6056 t1_islql66 wrote

Isnt it said that you could build whole floating structures in the atmosphere?

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Vast-Bus-8648 t1_ism4gh9 wrote

Aerostat platforms. Durable balloons filled with very light gas could support platforms with structures on them. You’d probably have to find a way to stabilize them in windstorms though.

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chaostheories36 t1_islu3p8 wrote

From a completely uneducated standpoint of someone that reads a lot of sci-fi, I think that’s a more reasonable expectation with Jupiter/Saturn?

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Vast-Bus-8648 t1_ism4u1q wrote

Not likely because the weather is likely more severe, and the radiation coming off those planets is insane (even establishing a land base on Jupiter’s moon Io you’d be getting a lot of radiation).

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Vast-Bus-8648 t1_ism4qa1 wrote

Not likely because the weather is likely more severe, and the radiation coming off those planets is insane (even establishing a land base on Jupiter’s moon Io you’d be getting a lot of radiation).

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GiveToOedipus t1_ismavdr wrote

Now all we need is a smooth talking gambler with a flair for fashion to win one in a card game.

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El_Zarco t1_islkq23 wrote

Cloud city, baby!

(I know it's outrageously impractical and unlikely but it's fun to imagine)

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Obamas_Tie t1_isln854 wrote

Floating research facilities and colonies have been a hallmark of Venus colonization in both science fiction and actual scientific consideration since the 70s I believe.

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musexistential t1_isls53b wrote

I think the biggest thing is that pressure equalization can be reached at a certain altitude, so that you would only need a mouthpiece and gas tanks so as to breath gases that humans can live with. Sort of like when sea diving on earth.

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Vast-Bus-8648 t1_ism51f5 wrote

I’m not sure, but I think at certain altitudes or possibly everywhere in the Venusian atmosphere there is sulphuric acid. So they still might need protective suits.

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musexistential t1_ismogy6 wrote

Question, what if I apply a sodium bicarbonate infused moisturizer on my skin?

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YouAreOnRedditNow t1_isn7agl wrote

I don't know about the Venus stuff, but if you jumped in a vat of vinegar with that moisturizer on it would create a basic demonstration of volcanic eruption.

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Jebediah_Johnson t1_ismas5y wrote

Up in the atmosphere where it's about 1 BAR it's like 100F° (38C°) there's still sulfuric acid but you could survive with an chemical suit, breathing air, and a little climate control.

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thenerdal t1_islig5l wrote

Me thinking hot air rises.

Also me remembering in Iron Man the final fight with Iron Monger gave him ice.

Thank you for confirming!

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Valendr0s t1_isn15p4 wrote

There's actually a sweet spot that humans could survive just fine. We could go outside with just an oxygen mask and only suffer mild skin irritation.

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ArthurBea t1_ismhijr wrote

There is a sweet spot in the atmosphere at a certain elevation. It’s earth-temps and maybe even oxygen/co2/h rich. That’s probably where they want to float the balloon.

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Flaky-Fish6922 t1_isnmokg wrote

the entire freaking planet is a hell hole.

some points to consider- it's extremely hot.

like melt-the-probe kind of hot.

the atmosphere is extremely dense and at the surface has extreme pressures. like shrink-the-cute-styrofoam-head-outside-the-submarine pressure.

oh, and it rains fucking sulfuric acid.

what's hilarious is, early on they thought she was the sister planet to earth, because gravity was similar, rocky world with a similar orbit to earth....

and then we sent probes there and the probes kept dying.

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orthopod t1_ism432q wrote

Depends on the pressure/altitude. Towards the surface, the pressure is incredibly high and contains a lot of sulphuric acid. Higher up , then there's less pressure and less sulphuric acid.

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