AST SpaceMobile (NASDAQ:ASTS) shares climbed 8% on Friday after the company secured a prime contractor position under the U.S. Missile Defense Agency’s SHIELD program.
As part of the award, the space-based cellular broadband network developer will be eligible to compete for future task orders within the Missile Defense Agency’s multi-award contracting structure. The SHIELD initiative falls under the broader Golden Dome strategy, which aims to develop resilient, layered defenses against a range of threats.
“Being selected as a prime contract awardee for the MDA’s SHIELD program is a major validation of our unique, on-orbit, dual-use technology and our growing capabilities within the defense sector,” said Chris Ivory, Chief Commercial Officer and Head of Government Business of AST SpaceMobile.
The indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity (IDIQ) contract enables AST SpaceMobile to bid on upcoming work spanning research, development, engineering, prototyping, and operational support for key Missile Defense Agency systems.
The company said the selection reflects increasing government interest in robust, dual-use low-Earth orbit satellite constellations for integrated national defense purposes. AST SpaceMobile also highlighted that it is 95% vertically integrated, with manufacturing operations under U.S. control at its Texas headquarters.
The contract award was included in a broader list of companies authorized to compete under the SHIELD program, which was publicly released by the U.S. government on January 15, 2026.