Jason Kim, CEO of the Center’s Firefly Aerospace, during the company’s first public release on the Nasdaq MarketSite in New York, USA, on Thursday, August 7, 2025.
Michael Nuggle | Bloomberg | Getty Images
Firefly Air Space Shares rose 12% on Monday after the space company said it would buy defense technology contractor Scitec for $855 million as it seeks to strengthen its national security offering.
The deal, announced Sunday, is expected to end at the end of the year and includes $300 million in cash and $555 million in firefly stock.
“These capabilities greatly improve our ability to provide integrated software-defined solutions for critical national security orders, particularly for Golden Dome,” CEO Jason Kim said in the release.
The company plans to integrate Scitec’s software into its tools. Features such as missile warning, tracking, defense and autonomous command control will also support Firefly’s launch and space services, the company said.
Last week, Firefly’s shares sank more than 20% in one trading session after the company said the rocket exploded during ground testing at its Texas facility. It came shortly after the Federal Aviation Administration cleared the Fireflies in another investigation into a rocket failure.
Firefly stock, which debuted on NASDAQ this summer, debuted in search of strong investors’ demand. The public list marked its third major space technology debut in 2025, with stocks surged more than 30% on the first day of trading. The inventory was then retracted.
Firefly has a growth list of key governments and defense partners to establish its position in the national security field. This includes the recent $177 million contract with NASA and a $50 million investment from Northrop Grumman.
Once the acquisition is over, Princeton, New Jersey-based Scitec will operate as a subsidiary run by current CEO Jim Lisowski.
Watch: Jason Kim on IPO debut, Pathway to profitability
