2006-10-04 11:08:19 · 18 answers · asked by Anonymous in Science & Mathematics ➔ Astronomy & Space
I just answered this question last week. I will try to paste my answer here: It depends on what you mean by "you" when you say "can you land?" Certainly it is possible to soft land un-manned probes on the surface of Venus. Both the US and Russia have done this already, with the Russians sending back pictures. If you are talking about human astronauts, the answer is likely to be forever "no", since the surface of Venus is so inhospitable to life as we know it. On the majority of the surface the temperature is ~900 degrees F and the air pressure is ~90 atmospheres, which is far worse than any pressure cookers that we employ to kill the most tenaceous germs here on Earth. Astronauts would need so much protection from the temperature and pressure that this prospect remains undoable, in my opinion. However, the tallest mountains on Venus are the Maxwell Montes, which are ~38,000 feet above the mean surface. At this level, the temperature is "only" ~675 degrees F and the atmospheric pressure is "only" ~25 atmospheres, which is slightly more tolerable, but still a definite pressure cooker environment. Unfortunately, the poles of Venus are no cooler than the equator so that won't help any. However, at an altitude of ~120,000 feet, there is a zone in the atmosphere where the temperature is ~70 degrees F and the pressure is ~3/4-1 atmosphere, which is quite Earth-like. An astronaut riding on a plane or in a balloon at this level would feel quite comfortable and could exist without any space suit, although he or she would need an oxygen mask or else some sort of scuba-type arrangement. The gravity that one would feel would be ~88% of Earth, which would feel very much at home as well. In the Star-Wars movie series, Han Solo visited such a world that had a floating city, where he was unfortunately "carborized". But getting back to Venus, I believe NASA has some plans to send some unmanned landers to the surface of Venus that are engineered to live and function permanently in the hellish environment, using Gallium Arsenide semiconductor chips as well as dusting off some old vacuum tube based electronic technology that could perform well in the high temperatures and pressures. And there are some space-nuts like myself who dream of terra-forming Venus someday, but that is a different story altogether!
2006-10-04 14:07:17 · answer #1 · answered by Sciencenut 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Temperatures on Venus can be around 700° F due to a thick atmosphere that is 90% carbon dioxide. This makes landing on the planet problematic for probes and impossible for people at present. Additionally, the possibility of life on Mars is an additional reason to go there instead of to the Second Planet. There are other reasons as well, take a look at the provided articles.
2006-10-04 11:26:26 · answer #2 · answered by Jacob1207 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
The planet venus is the hottest planet because its atmosphere is a carbon dioxide and when the sunlight passes to venus atmosphere, the heat cannot come out from the planet and it causes greenhouse effect. space probes find out that all forces that happend on earth is also happening on venus except for water force. Scientist want to find out if there is a life existing in Mar. Scientist know that no life will exist on Venus so they focus on Mars because it has a possibility on having a life beacause its temperature is closed as in earth
2006-10-04 23:24:04 · answer #3 · answered by ralphreid5 1 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Your question about Venus has been well answered . The reasons for landing on Mars however are several.
1. To search for life.
2. To study Mars and look for theories on making the Martian atmosphere habitable for human life.
3. For mining purposes
4. For the simple reason that Mars is another planet that we can actually journey to and stand on
As the effects of global warming become more acute on our planet and as our population continues to expand we must begin to look at safe havens and more growing room for the peoples of earth.
2006-10-04 11:30:15 · answer #4 · answered by uncles79413 2 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Come on Bob don't ya know Men are from Mars and Women are from Venus, and with the horrible atmosphere that Venus has they can keep it. Us guys will stick to Mars!
2006-10-04 11:19:16 · answer #5 · answered by Bohemian 4 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Scientist are looking for life. Mars is believed to once had a wet and warm climate unlike Venus which is has an average temperature of 900 degrees in the shade.
2006-10-04 11:12:59 · answer #6 · answered by Lou 2 · 1⤊ 1⤋
The USSR tried to send useful probes to Venus. They sort of succeeded. The probes landed. They took a couple pictures. Then they got crushed by the enormous pressure and melted by the intense heat. So, in a way other than getting the "Kodak moment" thing, they weren't scientifically successful at all.
2006-10-04 20:05:49 · answer #7 · answered by quntmphys238 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
The surface temperature of Venus is about 800 degrees Fahrenheit. Hot enough to melt lead. You'd need one heck of an air conditioning unit.
2006-10-04 11:13:08 · answer #8 · answered by stevewbcanada 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
The surface of Venus is even hotter than the surface of Mercury due to the gasses in the atmosphere. So if you really want to land there, why don't you lead the mission?
2006-10-04 11:17:25 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Yes but its really hot , very high pressure and horribly caustic atmosphere. It's a lot easier to design to get rid of heat to a cold near vaccum and to design to enclose a relatively low pressure rather than safely and reliably keep out a really high one plus the gravity well is bigger - Mars is much nicer and so is the moon.
2006-10-04 11:13:14 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋