The Venusians

A couple years ago, I found short story written by Ray Bradbury called "All Summer in A Day." Thanks to my sons english teacher who put the story on his reading list, I also read it.  In the story, he imagined people living on a planet where rain falls continuously except for two hours every seven years, when the sun comes out. The story focuses on a girl who desperately tries to convince her classroom the time is soon for the rain to stop but no one believes her until they see it for themselves. The story continues as Bradbury describes their reaction to her revelation with skepticism, fear and jealousy as the time approaches. Right before the sun comes out one of her classmates throws her in a closet so she can't witness the event. 

I remember seeing an autobiography where Bradbury claimed he wasn't a writer, and more of a story teller. As a long time celebrated sci-fi writer in this country, I beg to differ on his humble opinion. He wrote the Martian Chronicles and Fahrenheit 451 just to name a few.

A little off subject but my sister had the chance to meet Ray Bradbury at a book signing a few years ago. At the time her husband talked her into going to upstate NY instead for a vacation. She went vacation instead of the signing and to this day she regrets not going to meet Bradbury. I thought about that a little as I browsed online for more information about Venus. A few select research papers jumped out at me, and I poured over them one night hardly believing what I found. 

Scientist Geoffrey Landis published a paper describing how a one-kilometer diameter spherical city enveloped with breathable air, placed inside the dense Venusian atmosphere would float. He goes on to say these habitats could be built as heavy as a hundred thousand tons or about the weight of two Empires State buildings. Although special clothing could be needed, a pressure suit would not be required for humans to explore outside the floating worlds. Also the thick cloud coverage would protect colonists from solar radiation. 

Not long after, I began to write my own story about a league of three cities. Past meets the future in a whimsical way with the first two cities built like replicas of Victorian era London and ancient Athens, with the third as its own unique modern design. Following insightful clues about attire and dress codes in history, the colonists wear their own unique version of clothing - based on their city's theme. Future tech, future warfare and an advanced A.I. race of beings is also in the mix. 

Love finds a way five hundred years from now in my distant Venusian dreams, but will my intelligent robot learn to love too? 

Research shows us the effects of micro gravity, or even the one third gravity as NOT very good for us as humans. Mars has about 1/3 Earths gravity, so Mars colonists would have a biological challenge on their hands. Bone and muscle loss would be an issue. Mars light gravity could affect pregnancy, and fetus development and other integral functions of the human body. Another problem with lighter gravity is it pushes more blood to the head and brain affecting the entire blood circulation system. Not a problem for the Venusians though, with 98% Earths gravity...

Another interesting aspect to consider with floating cities around a planet like Venus, is that launch and lift complications would change. You wouldn’t have to launch people on and off the surface of a planet like Mars anymore. Did I mention Venus is closer than Mars? 

The crazy thing about all of this is I did meet Geoffrey Landis. I am not in the habit of meeting famous scientists or anything but pleasantly surprised when I saw him at a Mars Society Conference. I did get a chance to talk to Landis shortly, although I was a bit tongue-tied. I mentioned that colonies over Venus might be a better idea than colonizing Mars. He smiled curiously and asked evenly, "Is that so?" 

Above in my picture you see Jarvis my A.I. character, technically a second stage machine, so - S.I. or super intelligent, and Joules my Venusian heroine. She's a cloud baby or so the colonists sometimes call themselves. 

#Venus #Space Travel #Sci-Fi