The lorelei of the sky. Her lure drew in the U.S. and the Soviets...with the hope of finding a hospitable neighbor. It hardly seems possible today, but more likely the kind of planet to send you to the hospital.

In1962 the U.S. got Mariner II within 22,000 miles of Venus. Close enough to estimate the atmosphere's temperature of 750¡. Too hot for Americans but the Soviets perservered. Cold warriors said they were fixated. Two attempts failed, then on November 16th, 1965 the Soviet Venera 3 became infamous for being the first rocketship to crash on another planet.

On October 18,1967, after a four month trip, the U.S.S.R Venera IV neared Venus, still in radio contact with earth. It was able to release an insulated capsule recorded cloud temperatures of up to 536¡ which burned and destroyed the mothership. Soon after, the recording instrument ceased to work itself . . . probably eaten by a gigantress one-eyed vixen-type creature.

If you want to know a whole lot more about the planet Venus ....click here.