The author really makes you feel as if exploring Venus could be safer than taking a trip to the movies. Obviously he points out also that it isn't safe, it's a huge risk that humans would have to take just to achieve knowledge about another planet.

The author first explains what Venus is, to prepare readers to further listen on what we would see on Venus. The author says Venus is "Earth's twin," and further supports this with "it may have well once have been the most Earth-like planet in our solar system." "It," reffering to Venus. The author states Venus has "valleys, mountains, and craters." Telling the readers this information makes it seem as if seeing Venus would feel comfortable to us and nothing too out of the ordinary.

As ordinary as the author tries to make a trip to Venus seem he doesn't end up leading us in the wrong direction, as he also states the dangers, "humans have sent numerous spacecraft to land on this cloud-draped world. Each previous mission was unmanned, and for good reason, since no spacecraft survived the landing for more than a few hours." Reading that information makes it seem doubtful humans could ever explore Earth's neighbor.

The author goes on to suggest ideas that NASA has pulling the reader back in to believe that it could be promising to think that one day humans can explore Venus. "NASA's possible solution to the hostile conditions on the surface of Venus would allow scientists to float above the fray. Imagine a blimp-like vehicle hovering 30 or so miles above the roiling Venusian landscape. Just as our jet airplanes travel at a higher altitude to fly over many storms, a vehicle hovering over Venus would avoid unfriendly ground conditions by staying up and out of their way." That's a lot to take in but the author makes it easy for us to understand the idea by comparing it to "Jet airplanes traveling higher to fly over many storms."

The author wraps it up by saying "Venus has value." He doesn't go deep into the what "value's" exploring Venus could have. Only thing he stats is "insight," and "human curiosity." The author not going deep into the values is exceptional because that's not what the article was about. The article is more about just progress in space exploration, focusing on Venus. The author then wraps it up with a fair conclusion, including his main point that, "Our travels on Earth and beyond should not be limited by dangers and doubts but should be expanded to meet the very edges of imagination and innovation."