Life on Venus? Venera D Update of 01/14/2017 | Summary and Q&A

TL;DR

A potential space probe named Venera D may be launched to explore Venus, allowing scientists to study its atmosphere, surface, and the possibility of microbial life.

Key Insights

• 🥹 Venus, often overshadowed by Mars, holds potential for microbial life and future human colonization.
• 🛟 The Venera D mission aims to study Venus' atmosphere, surface, and potentially find evidence of microbial life.
• 🧑‍🔬 The mystery of Venus' atmospheric rotation and the unexplained dark streaks within it pose intriguing questions for scientists.
• 🛟 The presence of certain molecules and particles could indicate the possibility of microbial life in Venus' atmosphere.
• 🧛 A drone, like VAMP, would be essential for maneuvering and investigating Venus' atmosphere.

Transcript

You could say that Venus is the forgotten world of the inner solar system. Outshined, figuratively, by her superficially more interesting brother Mars, Venus holds both the potential for microbial life and the eventual potential of terraforming and human colonization. And, as I pointed out in my video "Colonizing and Terraforming Venus" it has adva... Read More

Questions & Answers

Q: How does Venus' atmosphere rotate faster than the planet?

The reason behind Venus' atmospheric super-rotation is still unknown, but it was discovered through studying the dark streaks within the atmosphere. This phenomenon remains a mystery for scientists.

Q: What are the potential explanations for the dark streaks in Venus' atmosphere?

The dark streaks could be made up of iron chloride, a form of atmospheric ice, or another chemical dissolved in the atmosphere. The origin and composition of these streaks remain unknown.

Q: Is there a possibility of microbial life existing in Venus' atmosphere?

Yes, it is possible that microbial life could exist in Venus' atmosphere. The presence of elongated particles similar to bacteria and the detection of interesting molecules immune to sulfuric acid support this theory.

Q: How would a drone be used to investigate the potential for life in Venus' atmosphere?

A drone, such as the Venus Atmospheric Maneuverable Platform (VAMP), would allow scientists to control and navigate through Venus' atmosphere. It would carry scientific instruments to study the atmosphere and potentially find evidence of microbial life.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• Venera D, a new space probe, is being considered for a mission to explore Venus and potentially discover microbial life.

• The mission would include an orbiter to study the atmosphere and surface, a robust lander for the surface, and possibly a drone and high altitude balloon.

• Venus' atmosphere rotates faster than the planet, and dark streaks with unknown composition and properties exist within it.