Cloud Cities on Venus: Viability & Feasibility

In summary, the conversation discussed the possibility of building floating cities on Venus in the far future due to the planet's Earth-like gravity and less harsh upper atmosphere. The feasibility of such a project was questioned, with considerations about the viability and potential resources on the planet. While some saw potential in the idea, others felt it would be wiser to focus on preserving Earth and sending robots to study Venus. The conversation also touched on the tragic death of mathematician Evariste Galois, who made significant contributions to abstract algebra at a young age but died in a duel at 20 years old.
  • #1
GTOM
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64
There are plans for almost everything.

https://www.space.com/29140-venus-airship-cloud-cities-incredible-technology.html
Like build floating cities on Venus in the far future, since gravity is Earth like at there, and the upper atmosphere isn't so harsh.
I would like to hear your opinions about the feasibility of such a project. Let's suppose we could get there with a large enough spacecraft that can build.
But how much it could be viable? Is there any resource valuable enough to extract from the atmosphere, and transport elsewhere that lacks volatiles? Could we extract resources from the ground without extreme costs? Could the planet serve as a refuelling station in order to reach and mine other celestials (Mercury for example)?
 
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  • #2
Uh, no, no no, Icarus,-- let's please do like your Dad Daedalus, and be rightly scared of getting too close to the Sun.
 
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Likes Chris Miller, sophiecentaur, russ_watters and 2 others
  • #3
sysprog said:
Uh, no, no no, Icarus,-- let's please do like Daedalus, and be rightly scared of getting too close to the Sun.

This seriously made me laugh out loud!

But sysprog is right, I don't think Venus really has anything that would make it viable for people to live there. Autonomous mining maybe if, like you mentioned, there's something on the planet that's valuable. I imagine that if we ever become capable of harvesting something from Sol itself it would be an asset. But that brings us back to Icarus.
 
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  • #4
... and we're kinda stuck here ... "Mars ain't the kinda place to raise your kids" (Bernie Taupin and Elton John) ... Mars is too cold, and Venus is too hot, and Mercury is baking hot on one side and freezing cold on the other -- let's stay on Earth and try to not eff it up into un-inhabitability . . .
 
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  • #5
Advantages: abundant sunlight, good air pressure, some protection from radiation, atmosphere could be mined for carbon and nitrogen
Disadvantages: have to protect against acid, can't use resources on the surface, can't "live off the land", have to bring our own oxygen and hydrogen, or extract them from acids
 
  • #6
JayS0 said:
Advantages: abundant sunlight, good air pressure, some protection from radiation, atmosphere could be mined for carbon and nitrogen
Disadvantages: have to protect against acid, can't use resources on the surface, can't "live off the land", have to bring our own oxygen and hydrogen, or extract them from acids
oh and hey, O2 and H, why ain't you two got married? we're thirsty, where's the water?
 
  • #7
put them into a fuel cell or just burn them together; there's your water. :smile:
 
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  • #10
Got to be careful using the term "Nuclear Powered" here. Some mean this to be a nuclear reactor like the type that generate electricity on earth. It's also been used to describe thermoelectric generators that used radioactive decay to generate the heat required to make them work, this was used as far back as the Voyager missions and is used on probes too far away from the sun to generate enough power from solar.

To power a city you would need a nuclear reactor and we have never attempted to put one of those in space, we don't know if they could survive being launched into space.
 
  • #11
Think of the mass of this thing and think of all the hydrogen you would need to float it. Your "balloon membrane" would be what? It has to be UV resistant, which eliminates almost all known plastics and elastomers, it has to be sulphuric acid resistant, it has to be hydrogen fluoride resistant, so it is made of what? Oh, and it has to be 100% leak resistant. Have you ever tried to keep hydrogen or helium in an enclosed container for how long?
 
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  • #12
GTOM said:
There are plans for almost everything.

https://www.space.com/29140-venus-airship-cloud-cities-incredible-technology.html
Like build floating cities on Venus in the far future, since gravity is Earth like at there, and the upper atmosphere isn't so harsh.
I would like to hear your opinions about the feasibility of such a project. Let's suppose we could get there with a large enough spacecraft that can build.
But how much it could be viable? Is there any resource valuable enough to extract from the atmosphere, and transport elsewhere that lacks volatiles? Could we extract resources from the ground without extreme costs? Could the planet serve as a refuelling station in order to reach and mine other celestials (Mercury for example)?
I believe this idea has merit. Venus could have resources that could be of value. I never thought about it before but it has me doing some research.
 
  • Skeptical
Likes sysprog
  • #13
Nelli said:
I believe this idea has merit. Venus could have resources that could be of value. I never thought about it before but it has me doing some research.
Let's stay here and do the best we can. Send robots to Venus if you're curious. I'd rather die honorably of old age on Earth than die of wanton stupidity for trying to live in a Venusian city.

Why would people smart enough to get to Venus be stupid enough to go there?

Maybe it's because it has that love goddess name. :rolleyes:

In my view it's kinda like Galois being such an extreme genius that he could lay out abstract algebra for us when he was 19 and 20, and then go and get himself killed at age 20 by being such an idiot that he got in a duel with a seasoned military veteran. 😢

I don't mean to insult Galois; maybe it really was a matter of honor; but what an enormous set of contributions and what a tragic and regrettable loss.
 
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  • #14
Nelli said:
I believe this idea has merit. Venus could have resources that could be of value. I never thought about it before but it has me doing some research.
What kind of resources?
 
  • #15
GTOM said:
There are plans for almost everything.

https://www.space.com/29140-venus-airship-cloud-cities-incredible-technology.html
Like build floating cities on Venus in the far future, since gravity is Earth like at there, and the upper atmosphere isn't so harsh.
I would like to hear your opinions about the feasibility of such a project. Let's suppose we could get there with a large enough spacecraft that can build.
But how much it could be viable? Is there any resource valuable enough to extract from the atmosphere, and transport elsewhere that lacks volatiles? Could we extract resources from the ground without extreme costs? Could the planet serve as a refuelling station in order to reach and mine other celestials (Mercury for example)?
Maybe the idea of a floating city sounds like sifi, but the idea of research to see if Venus has materials that we could use such as fuel for ships sounds possible. I use to think life couldn't be on Venus until I took a biology class in college that changed my mind. If life can exist in Sulfuric Acid H2SO4; then life could exist on Venus. The one thing science has taught me is more is possible than we first thought. We use to think the world was flat. lol
 

1. What is a "Cloud City" on Venus?

A "Cloud City" on Venus refers to a hypothetical human settlement that would float in the planet's dense atmosphere, rather than being built on the surface. This concept has been proposed as a potential solution for colonizing Venus, which has extreme surface conditions that make it difficult for traditional settlements.

2. Is it possible to build a Cloud City on Venus?

The concept of a Cloud City on Venus is still in the early stages of research and development. While it is technically possible to build such a structure, there are many challenges that need to be addressed before it can become a reality, such as the extreme temperatures, high atmospheric pressure, and corrosive atmosphere of Venus.

3. What are the potential benefits of a Cloud City on Venus?

A Cloud City on Venus could potentially provide a habitable environment for humans, allowing us to explore and study the planet's atmosphere and potential resources. It could also serve as a stepping stone for further exploration and colonization of other planets in our solar system.

4. How would a Cloud City on Venus be powered?

One proposed solution for powering a Cloud City on Venus is through solar energy. The upper atmosphere of Venus receives a significant amount of sunlight, which could be harnessed through solar panels. Another option is to use nuclear power, which would provide a more reliable source of energy in the harsh conditions of Venus.

5. What are the main challenges in making a Cloud City on Venus a reality?

The main challenges in building a Cloud City on Venus include finding suitable materials that can withstand the extreme temperatures and corrosive atmosphere, developing efficient methods for transporting resources and materials to the planet, and creating a self-sustaining ecosystem within the structure. Additionally, the high cost and technological requirements for such a project make it a significant challenge to overcome.

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