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RDW

Why Redwire Stock Crushed it This Week

April 03, 2026 — 06:47 pm EDT

Written by

Eric Volkman for

The Motley Fool->

Key Points

- The space and defense technology specialist provided several types of equipment for the Orion spacecraft.

- The company also entered into a contract for a project with the ESA.

- 10 stocks we like better than Redwire ›

Redwire (NYSE: RDW) was red-hot on the stock market over the past few business days. The company's involvement with a high-profile space exploration project, and new work for a major client in Europe put some real zip into its shares. They rose by 19% over the course of the week, according to data compiled by S&P Global Market Intelligence.

To the Moon and back

In 2026, which is already promising to be a high-water mark for the space industry, Redwire is part of a major space mission currently underway. This is Artemis II, the spectacular ten-day National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) mission that will culminate in a flyby around the Moon.

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Image source: Getty Images.

The mission's Orion spacecraft is packed with specialty equipment supplied by Redwire, including its crucial optical imaging system. Other Redwire gear being used in the craft covers navigation cameras and solar sensor technology.

That's impressive enough on its own, but on Thursday Redwire announced it had secured a contract with the European Space Agency (ESA, basically that continent's NASA) to develop a quantum-secure satellite. This mandates the company to build and deliver its Hammerhead spacecraft equipped with suitable satellite and avionics technology.

Working for the leaders

In the space industry, it's hard to find more secure and impressive clients than NASA and the ESA. Redwire's involvement in those agencies' work is a significant boost to its reputation and morale. Assuming the company's products perform as intended, we can anticipate more work for the two agencies well into the future. I think investors are right to be very bullish on Redwire's potential.

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Eric Volkman has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Redwire. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.