In "The Challenge of Exploring Venus," the author talks about Earth's sister planet and the chaotic environment it hosts. They also mention that for years, scientists have been trying to discover ways that this planet may be hospitable or of good use to humans. The author suggests that studying Venus is a worthy pursuit despite the risks and dangers because evidence shows that it has features much like Earth, and could sometimes be the nearest option for a planetary visit.

Geographical features show that at one time, Venus was likely covered with oceans and could have supported life. The author states, "Today, Venus still has some features that are analogous to those on Earth. The planet has a surface of rocky sediment and includes familiar features such as valleys, mountains, and craters" (4). This shows that while conditions on Venus may be particularly brutal, there is a high chance it was once a habitable land like Earth.

Though there are certainly high risks that come with traveling to such a dangerous planet, there are ways for humans to survive them. The author mentions that, "Just as our jet airplanes travel at a higher altitude to fly over many storms, a vehicle hovering over Venus would avoid the unfriendly ground conditions by staying up and out of their way. ... the air pressure would be close to that of sea level on Earth. Solar power would be plentiful, and radiation would not exceed Earth levels" (5). With humans' current technological advances, it is made possible to avoid the worst of the cruel conditions on Venus, like sweltering heat and impossible atmospheric pressure.

In conclusion, there is a lot to look at for both sides of this topic. The author does a good job with addressing the issues that come with sending space crafts and people to Venus, while also talking through the ways some complications might be avoided.