Photo: Sbirs launch from the Cape

The ULA Atlas V thunders off the launch pad at SLC-41. Photo Credit: Jason Rhian
 

The satellite, which launched Saturday [see Amy Butler's story here], is worth an estimated $1.2 billion and was built by Lockheed Martin. GEO-1 is the first in the SBIRS constellation. These spacecraft are set to replace the U.S. Air Force’s Defense Support Program satellites