On 2009-09-20, Morten Reistad <first@last.name> wrote:

We only have three materials we have knowledge of for such
high pressure use. Steel, Aluminium 6xxx series and kevlar
epoxies. All of these corrode within seconds on Venus.

This is of course why the crew of the Trieste were instantly killed
when they reached the bottom of the Challenger Deep.  They didn't
know what you do and so the observation window, made out of nothing
more than Perspex, gave way immediately.

Oh, hang on, that didn't happen, did it?

The whole notion of only certain materials being good enough when
the only issue is sheer strength is a complete non-starter.  You
could make a pressure hull for the pressure in question using
nothing more than papier mache if you were so inclined.  Such a
hull would be extremely thick and weigh many times what it really
needs too, but that does not mean that the exercise is completely
impossible or even particularly unfeasible.

As for corrosion resistance that is a separate issue to withstanding
the pressure.  Since you give steel as an example we'll consider
that.  Left to itself corrosion would indeed be a major concern.
That does not mean that it can't be used: give the hull a generous
plating of e.g. gold or titanium after it has been constructed and
there are no real issues: the steel takes the strain but is nicely
protected from the elements.

Nightcrawler <Dirtydeeds@dirtcheap.net> wrote:

In fact, anything sent there dies.  Machine or biological.

Even that is a bit of an overgeneralisation.  Cooling for a manned
compartment would indeed be a formiddable task but machines operating
at ambient temperature are much more practical.  Silicon based
electronics is out but valve based systems will take the temperatures
needed in their stride.

-- 
Andrew Smallshaw
andrews@sdf.lonestar.org