** Space tech firm Firefly Aerospace FLY.O shares up 7% premarket to $62.95 after NASA awarded contracts to support upcoming lunar exploration missions

** Along with Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin and other space firms, the agency said on Tues it selected FLY to build the spacecraft that will transport drones from the Earth's orbit to the moon for its MoonFall mission, which is targeted for launch in 2028

** On Tues, FLY's stock soared ~19% to close at $58.81 as SpaceX's Starship largely successful test flight buoyed an array of space-related names ahead of its hotly anticipated IPO

** FLY's stock initially fell in extended trading on Tues after the Texas-based firm commenced 12 mln share offering, including 8 mln shares to be offloaded by top holder AE Industrial Partners

** Sale would cut private equity firm AE Industrial's stake by 5% to 31.7%, per the prospectus

** Co plans to use net offering proceeds it receives for general purposes, including for core business growth and recently awarded programs and initiatives

** Through Tues, FLY's stock has surged 184% over the past three months

** FLY went public in Aug 2025 IPO priced at $45