Post by John Skieswanne on Oct 28, 2021 16:01:47 GMT
As most nations are competing to colonize Mars, possibly causing conflicts there, the Federation will instead be focusing on colonising Venus.
Some articles of interest: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colonization_of_Venus
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Terraforming_of_Venus
Venus is advantageous in the fact it has enough atmosphere to provide about 5 other Earth-sized planets with breathable air. Additionally, it has near Earth gravity and diameter. As the PangaPedia article points out:
Venus has certain similarities to Earth which, if not for the hostile conditions, might make colonization easier in many respects in comparison with other possible destinations. These similarities, and its proximity, have led Venus to be called Earth's "sister planet".
At present it has not been established whether the gravity of Mars, 0.38 times that of the Earth, would be sufficient to avoid bone decalcification and loss of muscle tone experienced by astronauts living in a micro-g environment. In contrast, Venus is close in size and mass to the Earth, resulting in a similar surface gravity (0.904 g) that would likely be sufficient to prevent the health problems associated with weightlessness. Most other space exploration and colonization plans face concerns about the damaging effect of long-term exposure to fractional g or zero gravity on the human musculoskeletal system.
Venus's relative proximity makes transportation and communications easier than for most other locations in the Solar System. With current propulsion systems, launch windows to Venus occur every 584 days,[4] compared to the 780 days for Mars.[5] Flight time is also somewhat shorter; the Venus Express probe that arrived at Venus in April 2006 spent slightly over five months en route, compared to nearly six months for Mars Express. This is because at closest approach, Venus is 40 million km (25 million mi) from Earth (approximated by perihelion of Earth minus aphelion of Venus) compared to 55 million km (34 million mi) for Mars (approximated by perihelion of Mars minus aphelion of Earth) making Venus the closest planet to Earth.
Venus's atmosphere is made mostly out of carbon dioxide. Because nitrogen and oxygen are lighter than carbon-dioxide, breathable-air-filled balloons will float at a height of about 50 km (31 mi). At this height, the temperature is a manageable 75 °C (348 K; 167 °F). At 5 km (3.1 mi) higher, it is a temperate 27 °C (300 K; 81 °F) (see Atmosphere of Venus § Troposphere).
The atmosphere also provides the various elements required for human life and agriculture: carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, and sulfur.[6]
Additionally, the upper atmosphere could provide protection from harmful solar radiation comparable to the protection provided by Earth's atmosphere. The atmosphere of Mars, as well as the Moon provide little such protection.[7][8][9]
At present it has not been established whether the gravity of Mars, 0.38 times that of the Earth, would be sufficient to avoid bone decalcification and loss of muscle tone experienced by astronauts living in a micro-g environment. In contrast, Venus is close in size and mass to the Earth, resulting in a similar surface gravity (0.904 g) that would likely be sufficient to prevent the health problems associated with weightlessness. Most other space exploration and colonization plans face concerns about the damaging effect of long-term exposure to fractional g or zero gravity on the human musculoskeletal system.
Venus's relative proximity makes transportation and communications easier than for most other locations in the Solar System. With current propulsion systems, launch windows to Venus occur every 584 days,[4] compared to the 780 days for Mars.[5] Flight time is also somewhat shorter; the Venus Express probe that arrived at Venus in April 2006 spent slightly over five months en route, compared to nearly six months for Mars Express. This is because at closest approach, Venus is 40 million km (25 million mi) from Earth (approximated by perihelion of Earth minus aphelion of Venus) compared to 55 million km (34 million mi) for Mars (approximated by perihelion of Mars minus aphelion of Earth) making Venus the closest planet to Earth.
Venus's atmosphere is made mostly out of carbon dioxide. Because nitrogen and oxygen are lighter than carbon-dioxide, breathable-air-filled balloons will float at a height of about 50 km (31 mi). At this height, the temperature is a manageable 75 °C (348 K; 167 °F). At 5 km (3.1 mi) higher, it is a temperate 27 °C (300 K; 81 °F) (see Atmosphere of Venus § Troposphere).
The atmosphere also provides the various elements required for human life and agriculture: carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, and sulfur.[6]
Additionally, the upper atmosphere could provide protection from harmful solar radiation comparable to the protection provided by Earth's atmosphere. The atmosphere of Mars, as well as the Moon provide little such protection.[7][8][9]
The development of Venus as the new World of the Federation of Pangaea will be carried out in several steps:
Phase A: Development of lifting gas, rocket engines, and sustainability experiments from the surface of Earth.
Phase B: Launch of the first unmanned vehicle, FoPSC-001 (Federation of Pangaea Space Craft 001), into orbit around Earth.
Phase C: Launch of experimental payloads, possibly as modules to the FoPSC-001 around Earth, to evaluate conditions ideal for life and sustainability.
Phase D: Launch of the first Pangaean human into orbit around Earth, to evaluate conditions ideal for human travel in space.
Phase E: Construction of FoPSC-002, the spaceship of the Federation of Pangaea, which will be designed as an airship that is buoyant both on Earth and on Venus. It contains two sections: one filled with helium (buoyant in Earth), and one filled with normal Earth air (buoyant in Venus). The crew lives in the section filled with normal Earth air.
Phase F: Launch of FoPSC-002, the Pangaean manned spacecraft, into Earth orbit. Launch is done in two phases - the helium section provides lift up to a considerable distance from the surface of Earth with no need for fuel, after which material from the helium section can be discharged, and rockets used for the main section to reach space.
Phase G: Improvement of the spacecraft FoPSC-002, taking advantage of its physical proximity with Earth. On board the FoPSC-002: construction of the Venusian experimental buoyant pod, containing photosynthesis plants with the purpose of converting CO2 and nitrogen into breathable air.
Phase H: Flight of FoPSC-002 to Venus. On Earth, construction of the second spaceship, FoPSC-003.
Phase I: Orbit of FoPSC-002 around Venus. Launch of the experimental floating pod into the atmosphere of Venus, to evaluate the conditions necessary for colonisation of the Venusian atmosphere, and to attempt to convert CO2 and nitrogen into breathable air. On Earth, completion of FoPSC-003, the second spaceship.
Phase J: Completion of FoPSC-003, and test launch into Earth orbit. Meanwhile, if possible, FoPSC-002 descends into Venusian atmosphere, and settles there as a floating city.
Phase K: FoPSC-003 begins providing the new Venusian city with crew and, if necessary, material. FoPSC-002 becomes the official capital of the Federation of Pangaea, whereas the FoPSC-003 continues to serve as a shuttle between Earth and Venus.
Phase L: FoPSC-002 grows into a permanent floating island, increasing its presence and human/biosphere habitat capacity within the atmosphere of Venus. Meanwhile, terraforming of the surface of Venus could begin. To decrease inhospitable pressure, excess atmosphere could be extracted, and sent to international partners for their own other terraforming projects.
Valuable data about Venus should be posted here, along with ideas for the operation.
