From: "Keith F. Lynch" <kfl at KeithLynch.net>
To: WSFA members <WSFAlist at KeithLynch.net>
Subject: [WSFA] Re: "NASA ignores Arthur C. Clarke, may attempt landings on Europa"
Date: Sun, 11 Dec 2011 18:30:41 -0500 (EST)
Reply-To: WSFA members <WSFAlist at KeithLynch.net>

Michael Walsh <walshmichaelj at gmail.com> wrote:
> And here's the story that followed the headline:
> http://dvice.com/archives/2011/12/nasa-ignores-ar.php

Interesting.  I wonder just how thick the ice is.  Would scuba diving
be possible there?  I know that scuba dry suits allow diving in
freezing-cold water, and that special gas mixtures allow diving at
pressures up to 50 atmospheres.  And since Europa's gravity is a lot
lower than Earth's, that allows for a considerable thickness of ice
before the pressure under the ice gets too high.

I know of at least three other places in the solar system (other than
Earth, of course) where a spacesuit shouldn't be needed:

* Floating in a balloon over Venus.  There's an altitude where the
  temperature and pressure are both reasonable.  You would need an
  oxygen mask, of course.  But note that in that atmosphere, oxygen
  is a lift gas, so it can do double duty.

* Floating in a balloon over Jupiter.  There's an altitude where the
  temperature and pressure are both tolerable, though depending on
  altitude you'd either need a warm coat or a special scuba-type gas
  mixture.  Interestingly, such gas mixtures are (except for the
  oxygen) similar enough to Jupiter's own air that you could probably
  get away with an oxygen cannula and something to filter out the
  ammonia from the surrounding atmosphere.

* The surface of Titan.  You would need very warm clothes and, of
  course, an oxygen mask.