U.S. Space Force Secures Satellite Contract, Defense Communication Stock Soars 20%

Viasat Inc. (NASDAQ: VSAT) surged more than 20% on the Nasdaq after news broke that it had won the U.S. Space Force’s next-generation military satellite communications contract, closing the day at $73.86. Its market capitalization jumped by roughly $2.5 billion in a single session, bringing its total value to about $10 billion.

On the day of the announcement, Viasat disclosed that it had secured the Swarm 1 development order under the Space Force’s Protected Tactical SATCOM-Global (PTS-G) program, which calls for the delivery of small geostationary (GEO) satellites and ground stations. The program’s overall IDIQ (Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity) ceiling stands at $4 billion. Recently, Viasat and SES (formerly Intelsat) also won a combined $437 million satellite-manufacturing contract under the same PTS-G initiative. In its fiscal 2026 fourth-quarter results, reported at the end of May, Viasat posted earnings per share well above analysts’ expectations, further bolstering growth prospects in its defense and government-communications segment.

Founded in 1986 and headquartered in Carlsbad, California, Viasat is a leading satellite-communications company that provides military communications equipment, satellite broadband, and in-flight connectivity worldwide. Following its 2023 acquisition of U.K.-based Inmarsat, Viasat significantly expanded its geostationary satellite fleet and is now leveraging its high-capacity ViaSat-3 constellation to serve both global broadband customers and defense communications users.