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It was once thought that Venus was in a similar state to the Earth and had a similar size.
But during its 4.6 billion year history, greenhouse gases have had adverse effects on the boiling planet, which is now even hotter than Mercury, the planet closest to the sun. .
Temperatures on Venus exceed 460 degrees Celsius thanks to volcanic activity and a thick, heavy atmosphere full of carbon dioxide.
But that did not deter NASA from conducting a crew mission to Venus, and officials hope to put an inflatable laboratory in orbit above the clouds.
A space agency team has implemented the HAVOC project, which means "High altitude operational concept for Venus", but NASA has not yet provided an indication as to when the mission will begin.
Gareth Dorrian, a postdoctoral research associate in space science, and Ian Whittaker, Lecturer, both at Nottingham Trent University, believe that the atmosphere of Venus is "Earth-like location in the solar system."
"Between 50 and 60 km altitude, pressure and temperature can be compared to regions of the lower earth's atmosphere."
For this reason, the duo is hopeful that NASA will find an extra-terrestrial life there.
They write in an article for The Conversation: "The surface conditions of Venus seem totally inhospitable to any form of life.
"The upper atmosphere is a different story though. Some types of extremophilic organisms already exist on Earth and could withstand atmospheric conditions at the altitude at which HAVOC would fly.
"Species such as Acidianus infernus can be found in the very acidic volcanic lakes of Iceland and Italy. Airborne microbes also exist in the clouds of the Earth.
"None of this proves that life exists in the Venusian atmosphere, but it is a possibility that could be studied by a mission like HAVOC."
NASA's plan for HAVOC would see a rocket launched from Earth containing the inflatable laboratory.
Once arrived, the research station would separate from the rocket, where it would deploy a parachute to lower closer to Venus.
The potential research station would hover 50 kilometers above the acid clouds of Venus, where experts from the inflatable laboratory could scan the planet and its clouds closely.
NASA said in a statement: "A vehicle lighter than the air could carry a multitude of instruments and probes, or a vehicle serving as a habitat and ascent to a crew of two astronauts to explore Venus during a maximum month.
"Such a mission would require less time than a crewed Mars mission."
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