Re: [GZG] Habitable solar systems (Was: [GZG] Real Astroplitics)

I found this on quick Google-ing, but nothing more recent from Landis...

http://powerweb.grc.nasa.gov/pvsee/publications/venus/VenusColony_STAIF0
3.pdf

Very interesting, but I gather the densities calculated are 'dry' gas,
without the fairly abundant water vapor I think is present at even this
altitude. Still, less than the mile-wide geodesics envisioned for
earthbound floating cities. Given Mars' thin atmosphere, I don't think 
you
could ever work a proper trade-off.

Good thing we have liftwood. ;->=

Thanks for the pointer!

The_Beast

Mark on 05/05/2006 06:37:06 AM:

>

> On 5/5/06, Tony Christney <tchristney@telus.net> wrote:
> Cloud City?
>
> Not habitable on the surface, but still has "human" settlements.
>
> Amusingly enough, this was being examined in RL by some
> NASA scientists a few years ago (I don't know what the
> status of this research is right now, though). I had
> attended a convention a couple years ago where Geoffrey
> Landis presented what he and a team of others at the NASA
> John Glenn Research Center have been working on (long-
> term) about floating cities in the Venusian atmosphere. It
> was loosely tied to the Moon-Mars Initiative George Bush
> put forth a few years ago (except focusing on Venus, not
> Mars ;-) ). I don't remember the details, but at a certain
> altitude the temperature is within human tolerances and
> nowhere nearly as corrosive as lower down. These floating
> habitats would supply themselves with natural resources
> mined by corrosive-resistent remote flyers and robots sent
> down to the surface. They had worked out ways using
> contemporary technology to extract water from the
> atomosphere, so all they had to do was grow their own food
> (well, first they have to get us there ;-) ).
>
> Just a little food for thought that floating colonies
> aren't totally in the realm of SF :-)
>
> Mk

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