Now listen to part of a lecture on the topic you just read about.

Setting up a permanent station on Venus may not be without challenges, but it is certainly possible. One solution that’s been proposed is to establish a station that would be floating in Venus’ atmosphere like a balloon rather than standing on its surface. The station would float about 50 kilometers above Venus’ surface. On a station located high in the atmosphere the problems the reading mentions can be solved.

First, atmospheric pressure. Well, it is a well-known physical fact that high up in the atmosphere the pressure is much lower than at the surface. So, while the pressure at Venus’ surface is too high for humans, 50 kilometers up in the atmosphere the pressure is equal to the normal pressure we are used to here on Earth. There would be no danger of the station getting crushed.

Second, water and oxygen. Well, as you read, Venus’ atmosphere contains compounds such as carbon dioxide and sulfuric acid. There are chemical processes that could be used on the station to make water and oxygen out of these compounds. So the water and oxygen necessary for human survival could be produced using chemical materials that can be easily obtained from Venus’ atmosphere. It would not be necessary to import them.

Third, the light-blocking clouds. Well, it’s true that there are still clouds 50 kilometers above Venus’ surface. However, clouds above that level are not very thick, so there would be a considerable amount of sunlight filtering through. Moreover, as you read, the clouds reflect sunlight. The station could make use of this reflected light, too. In other words, its solar power cells could collect both the direct sunlight filtering from above and the sunlight reflected by the clouds below. More than enough electricity could be generated this way to power the station.