Is there only gas on a gas planet? If we want to land on Jupiter, can we do it?

There are eight planets in the solar system we live in, including rocky planets represented by the Earth, and gas planets represented by Jupiter. So what are gas planets?

You may think that a gas planet is a big ball made of gas, with only gas and dust in it, but this is not the case. Even a gas planet like Jupiter has a solid core, and outside the solid core, the matter is not all in the form of gas. If you want to force a landing on Jupiter, you can still find a solid or liquid surface. You may think that the idea of ​​"landing on Jupiter" is too bold, but in fact, this idea was proposed as early as the 20th century.

Can humans land on Jupiter?

With the current level of aerospace technology, it is obviously impossible to do it, and it will not be possible for a long time in the foreseeable future. Is it difficult to land on Jupiter? It is indeed difficult. First of all, Jupiter is the largest planet in the solar system. Its mass is more than twice the total mass of the other seven planets. If Jupiter is compared to a watermelon, then the earth is equivalent to a cherry in front of it. Such a huge mass means that Jupiter has a stronger gravity than the earth, which will cause great difficulties for landing.

We are going to land on Jupiter, and Jupiter just happens to have a strong gravity. Isn’t that perfect?

This is not the case, because we cannot land on a planet with such strong gravity by free fall. Because under the pull of strong gravity, the free falling object will continue to accelerate. If the propulsion speed is too fast, the spacecraft will have strong friction with the gaseous material on the surface of Jupiter, and soon the spacecraft will become a blazing fireball. This friction will not end quickly, because the thickness of Jupiter's gaseous material is at least 6,000 kilometers. With the existing heat insulation technology of mankind, the spacecraft cannot withstand such a long period of intense friction.

If the spacecraft were to forcibly land on Jupiter in the form of free fall, it would most likely disintegrate just as it approaches Jupiter. If it were lucky enough to pass through Jupiter's gaseous matter, it would eventually be smashed to pieces.

If in the future, human space technology makes a leap forward, and human astronauts really pass through the dense atmosphere of Jupiter and land on Jupiter, they will probably come to a hydrogen ocean. As we know, the main substance that makes up Jupiter is hydrogen. Under normal conditions, hydrogen exists in the form of gas, but when the pressure reaches a certain level, hydrogen will turn from gas to liquid, so there is probably a hydrogen ocean under the dense atmosphere of Jupiter.

If we could continue through this ocean, we might come into contact with a truly solid surface, still composed mainly of hydrogen, but which would appear to be metal because hydrogen behaves like metal in its solid form.

Obviously, Jupiter is not a habitable planet. Even if the landing is successful, the astronauts cannot leave the spacecraft. However, this does not affect our appreciation of the beautiful scenery of Jupiter, because if you look up at the sky at this time, you will see dense gaseous clouds, swirling storms and non-stop lightning, which is definitely much more spectacular than it looks outside Jupiter.

In fact, on the solid surface of Jupiter, even staying in a spacecraft is not very safe.

Because this is a region of great pressure, even a grain of sand or a piece of ice crystal may be in high-speed motion, and speed means energy, so these things hitting the spacecraft will bring great impact to the spacecraft. Of course, you may find all this very boring, because they are just our imaginations, yes, all this is just imagination, but this is also the value of imagination, because we may never be able to land on Jupiter in person. But there is nothing to regret, because for an ordinary person, even on the Earth where he lives, most places are places he will never set foot on in his lifetime.

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