Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla. – A United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket blasts off from Space Launch Complex-41 carrying the second Space-Based Infrared System (SBIRS) GEO-2 satellite for the U.S. Air Force at 5:21 p.m. EDT March 19. SBIRS persistent surveillance capabilities enable detection and reporting of missile launches around the globe, support the nation’s ballistic missile defense system, expand technical intelligence, and gather and bolster situational awareness for warfighters on the battlefield (Photo by Pat Corkery, United Launch Alliance).