AST SpaceMobile shares surge 14.69% after-hours after securing prime contract on U.S. Missile Defense Agency SHIELD Program.

AST SpaceMobile (ASTS) surged 14.69% in after-hours trading following the announcement it was awarded a prime contract position on the U.S. Missile Defense Agency’s SHIELD program. The SHIELD indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity (IDIQ) contract positions ASTS to bid directly on future task orders for missile defense systems, validating its dual-use satellite technology for government applications. This development addresses sustainability concerns linked to the company’s high cash burn ($363M in Q3 operating cash outflows) and aligns with U.S. government policies prioritizing commercial space technology for national security. The contract expands ASTS’s revenue visibility beyond its core commercial satellite broadband business, reinforcing its strategic pivot into defense and resilience-focused applications. The stock’s rally follows a prior downgrade from B. Riley to Neutral, which had triggered a midweek decline, but the government contract news overshadowed short-term skepticism, driving a sharp post-announcement rebound.