Latest news with #140thWing
Yahoo
25-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Colorado Remembers
DENVER (KDVR) — Memorial Day weekend is upon us, and Saturday morning, Coloradans honored those who fought and died to ensure our nation's freedom at the Colorado Freedom Memorial. 'We lift up the memory of those who gave their lives for freedom,' said Chaplain (Lt. Col) Dave Nagel, during the invocation. 'They stood resolute in service, and we humbly gather to honor their unwavering commitment.' Singing group 'Victory Three' sang the National Anthem, F-16s of the 140th Wing of COANG performed a flyover, and the Honor Bell was tolled. Among the guest speakers was Rep. Jason Crow, a veteran of the U.S. Army. 'When you go and you serve, and you fight for your country, you leave pieces of yourself where you serve and with the people that you serve and with the people that don't come home, you leave parts of your heart with them,' said Crow. 'We remember because that remembrance helps carry it forward, it helps us heal, it helps the families heal, and it helps instill a sense of patriotism and duty in our country and our community. Duty means we think about those who made the sacrifice, not as any one political party. Not as anybody who subscribed to a certain policy. But as an American who was willing to do it for all of us.' Survey: Fort Logan among nation's top Memorial Day burial sites Col. Heidi Dexter is the Commander, Space Base Delta 2, at Buckley Space Force Base. 'We stand before this memorial etched with the names of over 6,000 Coloradans,' said Col. Dexter. 'Each name represents a life, a story, potential. All cut short in service to ideals larger than themselves. We pause to remember the immense cost paid by these individuals whose names are forever etched in our history.' She reminded everyone, freedom comes with responsibility. 'We are charged to ensure that their stories are told, their memories honored, and their sacrifices repaid through vigilance and virtue,' said Col. Dexter. This was the 12th annual Colorado Remembers Ceremony, which was presented by the City of Aurora and the Colorado Freedom Memorial Foundation. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
India.com
24-05-2025
- Science
- India.com
ALERT: NASA warns of massive solar storm is heading towards earth, could disrupt power grids, mobile network, cause blackouts due to...
In recent days, the Sun has become extremely active, and this is causing serious concern among scientists and emergency teams everywhere. A series of very strong solar explosions, called X-class flares, have been spotted. These are the most powerful kind of solar flares and can cause major problems on Earth. These flares are coming from a large, highly active sunspot known as AR4087, which is now facing Earth directly. The trouble began on May 13, 2024, when the Sun released a flare rated X1.2 around 11:38 AM. The next day, an even stronger flare an X2.7 shot out from the same spot. That second flare had a big effect, it knocked out radio signals in many parts of the world, including North and South America, Europe, Africa, the Middle East, and Southeast Asia. These blackouts show how powerful solar activity can mess with our communication systems and other important technology. US holds solar storm practice to prepare for future danger With the threat of solar storms growing, the US government held a big training event to check how ready they are. On May 8, 2024, in Denver, Colorado, FEMA led a special emergency drill called the 'Space Weather Tabletop Exercise.' This event brought together many important groups, including the Air National Guard's 140th Wing and 233rd Space Group, as well as major federal agencies like NOAA and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). The main goal was to get everyone talking openly about the problems they might face during a major solar storm. The drill imagined a situation happening in January 2028, where powerful geomagnetic storms hit Earth. These storms are caused by huge bursts of energy from the Sun, called coronal mass ejections (CMEs), which can damage satellites, power systems, and communication networks. Massive solar storm test shows possible nationwide blackouts During the emergency drill, the most serious situation imagined was a huge solar storm, a powerful explosion from the Sun known as a solar superstorm. In this made-up scenario, the storm caused major internet failures across the US, shut down parts of the electric grid, and left large parts of the East Coast without power for a long time. This fake disaster also affected important services like trains, pipelines, and energy systems, leading to major transport problems and rising fuel prices. Experts believe if such a real event were to happen, it could cause massive damage to the economy, national security, and people's everyday lives. To make things more complex, the drill also imagined that two astronauts in NASA's Orion spacecraft were on their way to the Moon at the same time, while another crew from the Artemis mission was already there.
CBS News
24-05-2025
- CBS News
F-16s prepare to delight Coloradans in Memorial Day flyovers
Pilots from the 140th Wing of the Colorado Air National Guard is getting to take to the skies to delight crowds across Colorado in honor of Memorial Day. "A Memorial Day flyover is more than a display of airpower," said U.S. Air Force Col. Christopher "KojaCk" Melka, acting deputy commander, 140th Wing. "It is a solemn tribute to our fallen heroes, a reminder to our community of the sacrifices made for freedom, and a powerful symbol of our unwavering commitment to honor those who gave all." The events start this weekend as the F-16 Vipers plan to fly over the Colorado Freedom Memorial in Aurora at 10 a.m. on Saturday. On Monday, the pilots will make multiple flyovers across the state, including: Fort Morgan Cemetery, Fort Morgan, 10:20 a.m. Homelake Cemetery, Homelake, 10:40 a.m. VFW Post 4031, Durango, 10:55 a.m. Nucla Cemetery, Nucla, 11:05 a.m. Veterans Memorial Cemetery of Western Colorado, Grand Junction, 11:15 a.m. Grand Lake Town Park, Grand Lake, 11:40 a.m. Fort Logan National Cemetery, Denver, 11:50 a.m. Olinger Highland Cemetery, Thornton, 11:55 a.m. University of Colorado, Folsom Stadium, Boulder, 12 p.m. Officials said the flyover times are estimates and could be cancelled due to weather. Coloradans may spot the jets between these locations as they head from one to the next. The 140th Wing said the flights serve as training for their pilots, and the events are free to attend.
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Yahoo
F-16 Vipers to flyover these Colorado areas over Memorial Day weekend
DENVER (KDVR) — You may see military planes in the sky this weekend, as four Colorado Air National Guard planes will fly over several Colorado communities to honor fallen servicemembers for Memorial Day. The Colorado National Guard said the 140th Wing of the Colorado Air National Guard will fly four planes on Saturday and Monday for Memorial Day, which honors those who lost their lives while serving the country. Things to do around Denver during Memorial Day Weekend These planes can be seen anywhere from Denver to Durango. Here's what they look like in formation: 'A Memorial Day flyover is more than a display of airpower,' said U.S. Air Force Col. Christopher 'KojaCk' Melka, acting deputy commander, 140th Wing. 'It is a solemn tribute to our fallen heroes, a reminder to our community of the sacrifices made for freedom, and a powerful symbol of our unwavering commitment to honor those who gave all.' 5 things to know ahead of Denver International Airport Memorial Day travel If you're looking to see these planes in the air, they will be passing through several Colorado areas. Colorado National Guard said the flyovers are scheduled to begin at 10 a.m. on Saturday and Monday, but these times are estimates and the flyovers could be cancelled due to weather. These are the areas the planes will be flying over: May 24, 2025 Colorado Freedom Memorial, Aurora, 10 a.m. May 26, 2025 Fort Morgan Cemetery, Fort Morgan, 10:20 a.m. Homelake Cemetery, Homelake, 10:40 a.m. VFW Post 4031, Durango, 10:55 a.m. Nucla Cemetery, Nucla, 11:05 a.m. Veterans Memorial Cemetery of Western Colorado, Grand Junction, 11:15 a.m. Grand Lake Town Park, Grand Lake, 11:40 a.m. Fort Logan National Cemetery, Denver, 11:50 a.m. Olinger Highland Cemetery, Thornton, 11:55 a.m. University of Colorado, Folsom Stadium, Boulder, 12 p.m. 'Never seen before' concert venue to host DJ on Denver's 16th Street on Memorial Day If you're not in the general area of these Colorado communities, you should still keep an eye out if you're around the area. The Colorado National Guard said the aircraft could also be seen traveling to and from the destinations. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Time of India
23-05-2025
- Science
- Time of India
NASA issues emergency alert! Solar storms could leave parts of Earth in the dark
Recent heightened activity on the Sun has raised urgent concerns among scientists and emergency management agencies worldwide. A series of powerful X-class solar flares — the most intense category of solar radiation — has triggered warnings about Earth's vulnerability to potentially devastating space weather events. These flares have originated from the exceptionally active sunspot AR4087, which has recently become more prominent in the Sun's visible hemisphere facing Earth. The sequence began with an X1.2-class flare on May 13, 2024, at approximately 11:38 AM, followed by a stronger X2.7-class flare the next day. This second flare caused widespread radio blackouts across vast regions including North and South America, Europe, Africa, the Middle East, and Southeast Asia according to the reports. The extent of these disruptions underscores the tangible impact solar activity can have on global communications and infrastructure Solar storm drill conducted to test emergency plans amid rising threat To meet the increasing solar threat, FEMA organized a mass-scale "Space Weather Tabletop Exercise" on May 8, 2024, in Denver, Colorado. This exercise involved coordination with the 140th Wing and 233d Space Group of the US Air National Guard, and major federal agencies like the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and Department of Homeland Security (DHS). by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Solar companies finally reveal that solar is only worthwhile if your roof... Activ8 Undo The objective of the drill was to provoke an open, no-fault discussion among agencies on the operational and logistical issues of coping with a major solar storm. The exercise modeled events in January 2028, covering different levels of geomagnetic storms, which are induced by coronal mass ejections (CMEs) — enormous eruptions of solar plasma and magnetic fields into space. Solar superstorm causes big blackouts during the drill Perhaps the most destructive scenario simulated during the drill was a "solar superstorm" — a gigantic CME that in theory caused a nationwide blackout of the internet, knocked out sections of the US electrical grid, and left large areas of the Eastern Seaboard in extended blackouts. This hypothetical incident also disabled critical infrastructure, such as railways, pipelines, and power grids, resulting in a nationwide breakdown in transportation as well as surging fuel prices. The consequences of such an incident would have monumental economic, social, and security implications. Alongside the ground impact, the drill visualized two Orion spacecraft astronauts traveling to the Moon, as another crew for the Artemis mission had previously landed on the surface of the Moon, contributing to response coordination complexity and urgency. Solar storm drill reveals major preparedness shortcomings The exercise revealed critical gaps in understanding, coordination, and response procedures among participating agencies. One of the fundamental issues revealed was the challenge of interpreting and reacting to a coronal mass ejection, which gives a paltry 30-minute window of warning before hitting — an extremely brief lead time in which to mobilize defense or reduce impacts. The Space Weather Operations, Research, and Mitigation (SWORM) task force report highlighted that "space weather is a complex subject, and its potential impacts are not well understood outside of NOAA and NASA." In addition, organizations were challenged to convert scientific information into actionable measures. There was a significant shortfall in special skills to determine the operational effects of space weather phenomena, and participants recognized training and public communication gaps. SWORM issues key recommendations to boost solar storm preparedness Following the simulation, SWORM made swift recommendations designed to strengthen the country's space weather resilience: Investment in enhanced monitoring technologies: Developing and implementing enhanced solar storm detection and early-warning capabilities. Increased interagency cooperation: Improving coordination among federal entities, international partners, and private-sector actors. Public awareness and education: Educating policymakers and the broader public about solar storm threats and the value of preparation. Formal protocols and exercises: Setting effective contingency plans in place and holding frequent simulation exercises, similar to those for natural disasters or cyberattacks. " Continuous readiness initiatives for a space weather occurrence are imperative ," SWORM said. "A severe event can drastically affect our nation's essential infrastructure and pose a threat to national security." Also Read | NASA scientists reveal how trees can predict volcanic eruptions from space
