The story of planetary research from ancient astronomers to more recent spacecraft missions.

The planet Venus is the closest neighbour to the Earth and in several respects similar to our globe. It revolves around the Sun at an average distance of 0. 72 astronomical units, in an elliptical orbit of eccentricity 0. 007. The corresponding 3 numbers for the Earth are 1 and 0. 017. The mean density of Venus is 5. 2 g/cm , 3 that of the Earth 5. 5 g/cm . Venus’ acceleration of gravity at its equator is 8. 9 2 2 m/s , compared with 9. 8 m/s at the Earth. The escape velocity is 10. 4 km/s, while the corresponding ?gure of the Earth is 11. 2 km/s. Although the mass of Venus is somewhat smaller than that of the Earth – the ratio is M /M =0. 815 V E – the diameters of the two planets are almost the same. In other words, Venus is indeed a sister planet of the Earth. In earlier times, when almost nothing was known about the physical con- tions of Venus, the similarity appeared even stronger than today. Not only was Venus’ period of rotation thought to be close to that of the Earth, it was also p- sible (and indeed common) to imagine intelligent life on Venus.

"And upon her forehead was a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON the great, the mother of harlots and abominations of the earth" (Rev. 17:5). From Genesis to Revelation, the name of Babylon seems to come up, again and again, throughout the Holy Scriptures. In these volumes, we'll begin to discover just what Mystery Babylon was, how it survived, and into what various thought-forms it had morphed, throughout the centuries. Beyond mere survival, these ancient Babylonian systems were able to flourish over the ages... manipulating a lot of what we see and hear, even today. The theme of "The Rise of Mystery Babylon" series is two-fold. The author spent years researching a vast amount of complementary literary texts, ancient to modern, which allow us a better way to look at this all, and understand what we really may have been missing. These volumes also provide enough information to allow for the reinterpretation of early stories in Genesis, in ways not usually thought of anymore, or in ways that were even suppressed. Why? Because the movement of Mystery Babylon thrives through a continued misinterpretation of these early Genesis accounts. Understanding the reinterpretations contained herein provides a way to expose what Mystery Babylon is really all about, and where it may have really originated. This is not your typical book of biblical prophecy, with attempts to interpret human future via the Book of Revelation. True, there is some, but there is so much more needed to understand it all. The typical interpretations of early Genesis, today, ask the reader to swallow a number of seemingly-questionable story elements, such as: was the Serpent merely a talking snake? Were Adam and Eve truly alone in the Garden of Eden? Did Noah's Flood spread across the entire earth? Were there truly fallen angels mating with mortal women, producing giant, malevolent offspring, or were these merely different groups of people, coming together in unsavory ways? Beyond providing answers to the typical "where did Cain get his wife" question, the book examines much of the above, also delving into the biblical origins of a majority of the mythological gods of old, the modern-day ramifications of the Fall, the reasons Cain was such an influential character in the ancient world, the untold reason for the antediluvian flood, and so much more. All of this continues to help expose the darkened underbelly of Mystery Babylon, and helps us discover how it, once again, is trying to bring back the same depravities into the world it once had. There really may be a huge "parallel of existences," here: the times of Noah's Flood compared to the times of today. Jesus, after all, was the one who said: "as the days of Noe (Noah) were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be" (Mat. 24:37). Could one side of this parallel be the times we see now, in the present? These volumes offer their ideas in simple language, with an easy-to-follow format. This second volume - The Tower of Babel (Part 1) - provides us an even greater look into the background of early characters in Genesis: Adam, Eve, Cain, even Noah, and why their stories were so fundamental in helping us understand how life was lived, all the way up to today. We also delve into the deep, dark history of those responsible for building the infamous Tower of Babel, and discover how their tower helped launch Babylon into the major influencing force of our ancient world... and beyond.

The weakening of the U.S. financial system is leading to calls for a global currency. National sovereignty is under attack. The force of globalization has united the world like never before. Human trafficking is on the rise. Influential celebrities are awakening to a universal, spiritual consciousness, while prominent religious leaders are encouraging inter-faith cooperation. These trends are evidence of historic transition. But what will the world look like on the other side? To understand why the earth is in turmoil, we must understand what the Bible reveals about Babylon. Babylon: The Resurgence of History's Most Infamous City takes us on a journey through time to discover an ancient tale of spiritual rebellion with incredible ramifications for today. From the Tower of Babel to the final economic capital that will arise in the end times, this is the storyline of the ages. The Bible is the tale of two cities, Jerusalem and Babylon, and of the millennia-long conflict between spiritual forces behind them. In the last days, Babylon will demand allegiance from all as Satan plays his final hand. Will you join with thousands throughout history who have chosen to exalt themselves above God? Or will you discern the dark agenda behind Babylon's facade of beauty and prevail? This unfolding saga has everything to do with you, your future, and the choices you will have to make in the days that lie ahead. Discover your part of history.

A complete history of human endeavors in space, this book also moves beyond the traditional topics of human spaceflight, space technology, and space science to include political, social, cultural, and economic issues, and also commercial, civilian, and military applications. In two expertly written volumes, Space Exploration and Humanity: A Historical Encyclopedia covers all aspects of space flight in all participating nations, ranging from the Cold War–era beginnings of the space race to the lunar landings and the Apollo-Soyuz mission; from the Shuttle disasters and the Hubble telescope to Galileo, the Mars Rover, and the International Space Station. The book moves beyond the traditional topics of human spaceflight, space technology, and space science to include political, social, cultural, and economic issues, and also commercial, civilian, and military applications. Produced in conjunction with the History Committee of the American Astronautical Society, this work divides its coverage into six sections, each beginning with an overview essay, followed by an alphabetically organized series of entries on topics such as astrophysics and planetary science; civilian and commercial space applications; human spaceflight and microgravity science; space and society; and space technology and engineering. Whether investigating a specific issue or event or tracing an overarching historic trend, students and general readers will find this an invaluable resource for launching their study of one of humanity's most extraordinary endeavors.

Every 3rd issue is a quarterly cumulation.