OceanGates surviving co-founder, Guillermo Sohnlein, has revealed his ambitious vision of establishing a 1000-strong human colony on Venus by 2050, according to an interview published last week.Despite recent setbacks and safety concerns, Argentina-born Sohnlein remains steadfast in his belief that humans can inhabit the atmosphere of the second planet from the sun. His new venture, Humans2Venus, is dedicated to realising this audacious goal.“It is aspirational, but I think its also very doable by 2050,” Sohnlein said about his Venusian dream in an interview with the news outlet Business Insider.Sohnleins aspiration comes in the wake of the tragic Titan disaster, which drew international attention to OceanGates safety practices and led to the suspension of its operations. The Titan submersible, designed for deep-sea exploration, suffered an implosion during a descent to the Titanic wreck site, resulting in the loss of five lives, including co-founder and CEO Stockton Rush.Acknowledging the scepticism surrounding his vision, Sohnlein emphasised that the idea of humans residing on Venus challenges norms both within and outside the space industry.“It would raise eyebrows outside the space industry. And it even raises eyebrows inside the space industry,” Sohnlein said in the interview.OceanGate founders Humans2Venus company in charge of Venus relocationSohnleins new endeavour, Humans2Venus, envisions a floating colony with 1,000 human inhabitants in Venus atmosphere. This initiative operates independently from OceanGate and aims to establish a permanent human presence in the challenging environment of Venus. Alongside founder and CEO Sohnlein, the other two members of the venture are Dr Khalid M. Al-Ali, who is the co-founder, and Rohith Muhundan, who is the executive director.The company, established in 2020, has the goal of establishing a permanent human presence in the Venusian atmosphere.Defying adversity, Sohnlein is committed to pushing the boundaries of exploration. He expressed concern that humanity might miss out on significant breakthroughs if it retreats from ambitious ventures due to setbacks like the Titan disaster. Sohnlein, who parted ways with OceanGate in 2013, remains dedicated to his vision of expanding human existence beyond Earth.“Forget OceanGate. Forget Titan. Forget Stockton [Rush]. Humanity could be on the verge of a big breakthrough and not take advantage of it because we, as a species, are gonna get shut down and pushed back into the status quo,” Sohnlein said.Sohnleins vision of Venusian habitation, he says, is grounded in scientific research. He cites studies suggesting a potentially habitable zone about 30 miles above Venus surface, where conditions are comparatively milder in terms of temperature and pressure.The Humans2Venus website highlights key factors supporting the feasibility of this vision. These include the planets similar gravity, temperature range conducive to liquid water, radiation protection comparable to Earth, and pressure akin to sea level conditions. However, the site acknowledges downsides such as Venus carbon dioxide-rich atmosphere and sulphuric acid clouds.Driven by a lifelong ambition, Sohnlein is an advocate for investments in ventures that challenge conventional limits. His ultimate goal is to propel humanity beyond Earths confines, echoing his childhood dream of leading the first Martian colony.“I think Ive been driven to help make humanity a multi-planet species since I was 11 years old. I had this recurring dream of being the commander of the first Martian colony,” he said.Sohnleins previous venture, OceanGate, hit worldwide headlines when it faced a catastrophic event with the Titan submersible on June 18. The incident occurred during a mission to explore the Titanic wreckage, leading to an ongoing investigation into the safety protocols.
