Venus

Biodata

Physical Characteristics

Before Terraforming

After Phase One

Initial Transformation Results

• The Venus sunshade was substantially completed, maintaining an average temperature of around 10°C; scientists expected stabilization to raise it by one or two degrees. 680
• Atmospheric thickness was reduced to approximately 50 km and pressure to about twice Earth's. 680
• Most of the crust stabilized, ending the frequent eruptions that had previously threatened operations. 680
• Venus had become broadly suitable for most Earth organisms, including humans after acclimatization, though it had not fully matched Earth's environment. 680

Venus Transformation Project

Selection and Planning

Venus was selected over Mars as humanity's first planetary-modification target because of its larger volume and mass, greater prospective population capacity, and the desire to avoid restricting Mars's unmined energy resources. The central challenges were controlling Venus's extreme heat, atmospheric pressure, carbon-dioxide-heavy atmosphere, limited remaining water, and weak magnetic protection. 607 608

Two initial approaches were proposed: a gradual process of shading Venus, thinning its atmosphere, adding water, and establishing a biosphere over centuries; and a faster plan using water-rich celestial bodies to alter its water and atmosphere within roughly a century. 608

Phase One: Celestial Impacts

• The Earth Federation made the project public and began converting Ceres into an impactor using large ion-propulsion engines. 616
• The initial plan called for at least ten celestial-body impacts over three or more years. 620
• Ceres struck Venus, expelling atmosphere and rock into space while vaporized ice and water covered the planet in water vapor. 637
• A former Jovian satellite was subsequently redirected toward Venus. It broke apart within Venus's gravity, and several major icy fragments collided with the planet. 662 663 664
• The impacts exposed part of Venus's internal structure, but also produced severe collapse, magma flows, storms, and a dangerous debris belt around the planet. 664 665
• Over three years, the Federation cleared the major fragments from Venus's orbit; the completion of this work marked the formal end of Phase One. 668

Phase Two: Cooling and Atmospheric Conversion

• Phase Two focused on lowering temperature, reducing atmospheric thickness and pressure, changing the atmosphere's composition, and introducing Earth life. 668
• A massive orbital sunshade made from advanced solar panels was built to block and filter solar light and heat while also supplying energy. 669 671
• Atmospheric scientists determined that reducing the atmosphere from 150 km to 50–60 km required biological methods as the primary approach, supported by mechanical and chemical measures. 672 673
• Modified primitive Earth organisms were released across Venus. They reproduced rapidly, producing visible green areas in less than a week and absorbing carbon dioxide and harmful gases while releasing oxygen. 677 678
• The biological transformation alone was expected to take centuries, prompting the Federation to open non-biological projects—including infrastructure, cities, energy facilities, mineral exploration, industrial systems, and biological-chain design—to public bidding. 678

Exploration

Pre-Impact Survey

The Federation organized a joint civilian and official exploration fleet to document Venus before terraforming permanently altered it. Although unmanned technology could have collected the information, the Federation deliberately relied primarily on manual and semi-automated equipment to involve civilians in the space age. 623 630

• The fleet entered Venus orbit, then dispatched ships into assigned atmospheric regions. 631
• NanNan-hao collected atmospheric data while hovering in the atmosphere; recorded readings included a temperature of 471°C, atmospheric pressure of 92, and 91.3% carbon dioxide. 632
• A Federation Space Marine landing team conducted the first on-site human surface investigation, working under a ten-minute limit amid heat above 500°C, sulfuric acid rain, volcanic activity, and falling rock. 632 633

Post-Impact Research

• After Phase One, Federation officials, university staff, and students conducted surface surveys in Venus-specific exoskeleton protective suits. 675 676
• Venus's gravity felt close to Earth's, but equatorial surface temperatures could still approach 200°C, the atmosphere lacked oxygen, and geological hazards remained frequent. 675 676
• Biological test teams found that many adapted plant forms could photosynthesize effectively in the Venusian environment; more than 70% of tested life forms succeeded after a month. 677

Development

• Once Venus's climate and crust began stabilizing, human civilization began constructing surface infrastructure. 681
• Space traffic between Earth and Venus transported machinery and engineering equipment, while most raw materials were intended to be mined, smelted, and processed locally on Venus. 681
• State-owned enterprises, major corporations, and small and medium-sized businesses established factories and mining operations on the planet. 681
• Seven Color Stone Group undertook major projects including the Venus Atmosphere Sky Garden and a geosynchronous-orbit Sky Harbor. 681

Trivia

• Venus changed from golden to grayish-brown after absorbing large quantities of water vapor from Ceres. 636
• Following Phase One, Venus appeared water-blue through telescopes, with white clouds, black clouds, and planet-wide lightning visible above it. 667
• The post-impact debris ring around Venus was visually compared to Saturn's rings, but was considered a severe hazard because fragments could eventually threaten Earth and Mars. 668