Quote:
Originally Posted by Ara Pacis
...I'm not against the idea of surface structures on Venus. I think it'd be necessary to have small habitats for mining operations and for research. However there is no need to place colonies on the surface when it is safer and cheaper and easier to place them in the clouds.
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Another idea might be to have kamikaze automated excavating machines that land and, based on earlier detailed surveying research, start digging out underground spaces. Such specialized construction equipment would be tough and last for a certain time after which further machines land, cannibalize them if possible and continue building and finishing underground dwellings. (This of course would be applicable where cooler, underground areas are discovered.) There would still be the problem of access to and escape from the harsh surface to upper atmosphere locations, but such surface access points would present a much lower surface profile than a dome and could be very durable below the intense heat and pressure.
Maintaining breathable atmosphere, water, food, life support, etcetera, would be similar to a surface dwelling. Gravity would feel almost the same as on Earth.
To me, the eventual long term goal in this poll/thread is altering the surface for habitation.
