The Columbus Day Storm of 1962 began as Typhoon Freda that formed 500 miles
from Wake Island in the central Pacific ocean and became an extratropical cyclone
as it headed towards the west coast of the United States. It was one of the most
intense storms to every strike the Pacific Northwest since 1948. Wind gusts reached
116 mph at Portland’s Morrison Street Bridge. In Salem a wind gust of 90 mph was observed. In less than 12 hours, over 11 billion board feet of timber was blown
down in northern California, Oregon and Washington combined.

The estimated dollar damage was around $280 million for California, Oregon and Washington combined, with nearly $200 million occurring in the state of Oregon
alone.  At least 46 fatalities were attributed to The Columbus Day Storm, more
than for any other wind storm in the Pacific Northwest, and injuries were in the
hundreds. A well-known insurance company called the Columbus Day Storm the
nation’s worst natural disaster of 1962.

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The Voyager 2 spacecraft is a 1,592 lb. space probe launched by NASA on August
20, 1977 to study the outer Solar System and eventually interstellar space. Operating
for 33 years, 11 months and 31 days as of today (20 August 2011), the spacecraft receives routine commands and transmits data back to the Deep Space Network.

Each Voyager space probe carries a gold-plated audio-visual disc (shown below) in
the event that either spacecraft is ever found by intelligent life-forms from other
planetary systems. The discs carry photos of the Earth and its life forms, a range
of scientific information, spoken greetings from the people (e.g. the Secretary-
General of the United Nations and the President of the United States, and the
children of the Planet Earth) and a medley, "Sounds of Earth", that includes the
sounds of whales, a baby crying, waves breaking on a shore, and a variety
of music.

Voyager’s 12 inch gold plated disc

Diagram of the main components of the Voyager spacecraft. (click to enlarge)

The United States Atomic Energy Commission (AEC) was an agency of the
United States government established after World War ll by Congress for the
peace time development and control of atomic science and technology. It began
when President Harry S.Truman signed the McMahon/Atomic Energy Act (above)
on August 1, 1946, transferring control of atomic energy from military to civilian
control, to be effective on January 1, 1947. President Truman appointed David
Lilienthal (below) as the first Chairman of the AEC. The AEC was reassigned into
two new agencies in 1974, the Energy Research and Development Administration
and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. 

David E. Lilienthal

(The National Aeronautics and Space Administration)

NASA was established by the National Aeronautics and Space Act
on July 29, 1958, replacing its predecessor, the National Advisory
Committee for Aeronautics (NACA). The agency became operational
on October 1, 1958.

Apollo 15 was the ninth manned mission in the Apollo space program. the fourth
to land on the Moon and the eighth successful manned mission. It was also the first
long duration stay on the Moon. There was a greater focus on scientific work with
the first use of a Lunar Roving Vehicle (below). Commander David Scott and Lunar Module Pilot James Irwin spent three days on the Moon and a total of 18½ hours
outside the spacecraft with the Lunar Rover. The mission concluded on August 7
and was called the most successful manned flight ever achieved.

Photo taken by Jim Irwin shows Apollo 15 Commander Dave Scott on the lunar
surface next to the Lunar Module Falcon, Saluting the Flag,