Guillermo Sohnlein, co-founder of OceanGate, stated in an interview that the company’s new goal is to send people to Venus by the year 2050. OceanGate is a United States-based company known for its ill-fated submersible, which tragically imploded during a voyage to explore the century-old wreck of the Titanic in June, resulting in the loss of all five crew members, including the company’s CEO, Shahzada Dawood, and others.
In the interview with Insider, Sohnlein, who is also the founder and chairman of Humans2Venus, expressed hope that his new company could establish a colony of 1,000 humans on Venus, despite it being the hottest planet in our solar system. He emphasized the importance of not missing out on such a potential breakthrough and stressed that he believes it is feasible to achieve this goal by 2050.
Sohnlein co-founded OceanGate with Stockton Rush in 2009 but relinquished control of the company in 2013. He referred to recent NASA findings indicating the possibility of human existence in a specific part of Venus’s atmosphere, approximately 30 miles above its surface. However, other reports from Space.com have highlighted the extreme challenges of Venus, including its toxic atmosphere filled with carbon dioxide and sulfuric acid clouds, making it nearly impossible for humans to live there.
On the Humans2Venus website, Sohnlein expressed his confidence in the abilities of engineers and scientists to overcome the challenges posed by the harsh space environment, including radiation, extreme temperatures, pressure, and the need for essential resources like food, water, and breathable air.
The tragic submersible accident brought attention to the unregulated nature of such expeditions, leading experts worldwide to question why private ventures often overlook safety checks during risky adventure trips. It was revealed that the company had not undergone a safety audit conducted by a third party, and experts noted the low scope of survival if anything went wrong during such missions.
Despite the challenges and potential risks, Sohnlein remains hopeful about the ambitious endeavor to send humans to Venus, with a vision of a sustainable home away from Earth. However, the feasibility and safety of such a mission will require careful consideration and exploration by the scientific and engineering communities.
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