[Boiling point]

Can you imagine an entire planet that looks like that! As far as you could see or walk. While helping my daughter with her science project recently, we found a web site with pictures of Venus. I was unaware until then that probes had landed on Venus. The first one, a soviet craft, only sent pictures and data for a few seconds. It read a surface temp of about 750F and about 90 atmospheres pressure if I remember correctly. The second probe, another soviet, confirmed the data from the first. That and the sulfuric acid atmosphere was why the first probe malfunctioned so quickly.

[Ophiucus]

In case anyone is interested - the Mars rover documentary is on PBS tonight.

[RightWhale]

probes had landed on Venus

A dozen or so. Russia landed about 10. If you can imagine anything electronic working for 1/2 hour in 800 degrees and air so thick with acid it would dissolve steel immediately. APL is preparing to launch an orbiter to Mercury--a big sunshade attached to the spacecraft from under which it will attempt to image the planet. Also 800 degrees in the sun, but less in the shade.

[apillar]

Venus has not got the attention mars has because it is a hell in the literal sense of the word. Crushing pressure, hotter than an oven, constant sulfuric acid rain, dense cloud cover, hurricane force winds in the upper atmosphere.

The funny thing is some scientists are beginning to think that Venus may be more likely to have some sort of life than mars. Recently they have discovered deep sea organisms that live around hydro-thermal vents and survive in a high temperature, high pressure, sulfuric environment, similar to venus.

The problem is getting a lander that could survive the hurricane force winds in the upper atmosphere, land safely, operate in temperature twice as hot as the average oven, and handle a constant drizzle of sulfuric acid. The challenges make mars look like a walk in the park.