Viasat Inc. (NASDAQ:VSAT) stock rose more than 6% on Thursday after the satellite communications company secured a major U.S. military contract.
The Nasdaq gained 0.46%, while the S&P 500 edged up 0.04%.
Space Force Selects Viasat
Viasat won a U.S. Space Force contract under the Protected Tactical SATCOM-Global (PTS-G) program to build, launch, and operate the first satellite in the Swarm 1 fleet.
The award covers the development of a maneuverable dual-band X/Ka-band mini-GEO satellite, associated ground infrastructure, and five years of operational support.
Viasat said the system will leverage technology from its ViaSat-3 platform to provide secure, resilient, and anti-jam communications for military missions.
The broader PTS-G program has a ceiling value of $4 billion across participating contractors, with initial operating capability targeted no earlier than 2029.
Technical Rebound Supports Gains
The rally appears to be driven by renewed buying interest in a stock that remains in a long-term uptrend. Market breadth was positive, with nine of 11 sectors advancing and an advance-decline ratio of 4.5, supporting risk appetite across equities.
Viasat is rebounding from an April swing low and is testing key technical levels. The stock trades 43.7% above its 200-day simple moving average of $45.10 and 16.5% above its 100-day average of $55.65. A golden cross formed in June 2025, when the 50-day moving average moved above the 200-day moving average, reinforcing the longer-term bullish trend.
However, near-term indicators remain mixed. Viasat is trading 11.1% below its 20-day moving average of $72.89 and about 1% below its 50-day moving average of $65.45.
Momentum has also cooled. The MACD remains below its signal line, while the histogram is negative, indicating buyers need to maintain pressure to prevent a deeper consolidation.
Key resistance sits near $65, close to the 50-day moving average. Support is around $56.50, just above the 100-day moving average.
VSAT Stock Price Activity: Viasat shares were up 6.21% at $65.32 at the time of publication on Thursday, according to Benzinga Pro data.
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