Guillermo Söhnlein, the man who founded the company behind the Titan submersible that exploded in the ocean claiming five lives, is now setting his sights on a new frontier: Venus.
He believes that Venus’s challenges, such as its high carbon dioxide levels and sulphuric acid clouds, “can be overcome with breathing apparatus and acid-resistant materials”. He suggests that humans could build a home in the Venusian atmosphere, approximately 50 km above its surface, where conditions are more Earth-like — as compared to its surface temperature of 864 degrees Fahrenheit (462.22 °C).
“We could embark on our Venusian journey TODAY… and do it safely and cost-effectively,” said the OceanGate co-founder.He argues that Venus is a more accessible option than Mars. “The reality is that Venus is much closer to Earth and has a much more similar orbit, which makes it much more accessible than Mars (lower cost, more frequent flight windows, shorter transit times, higher safety, etc.)””Also, we don’t have to worry about conducting successful landings on the planet’s surface, which is one of the biggest challenges awaiting us on Mars.”Söhnlein believes that sending humans to Venus before Mars could be a safer way to develop the capabilities needed for interplanetary travel.
