NASA has plans to send men to the atmosphere above Venus to determine if a permanent human colony could survive in a floating city.
NASA's High Altitude Venus Operational Concept (HAVOC) mission will probe the atmosphere of Venus prior to sending a manned craft, according to IBN Live.
Researchers from the Space Mission Analysis Branch of NASA's Systems Analysis and Concepts Directorate at Langley Research Center in Virginia believe a mission to Venus makes more sense than one to Mars.
They believe that Venus' atmosphere offers similar qualities to those of Earth. For example, 50 kilometers above Venus, the gravitational pull is slightly lower than Earth and there is only one atmosphere of pressure.
Astronauts would not approach the surface of Venus because of the amount of pressure and surface temperatures. Venus can reach 863 degrees Fahrenheit, a temperature hot enough to melt lead, The Daily Mail reported.
The HAVOC mission would begin with an unmanned airship to Venus, which would probe the atmosphere and collect measurements of temperature among other things.
If NASA receives an approval, they will then launch a manned mission with two astronauts to Venus, where they will live in Venus' atmosphere for 30 days.
Then NASA would send astronauts on a year-long mission in the atmosphere followed by the establishment of a permanent colony for human habitation.
