Redwire Joins Race to Build Scalable AI Data Centers in Orbit

Redwire Corp. (NYSE:RDW) and Sophia Space said Wednesday they signed a memorandum of understanding to explore development of scalable computing infrastructure in orbit. The companies plan to combine Sophia Space’s modular orbital computing architecture with Redwire’s space infrastructure technology. That includes deployable systems, solar power, thermal management, avionics and spacecraft integration. Partnership Targets Orbital Computing Under the agreement, the companies will explore near-term demonstration missions and longer-term orbital data center designs. Sophia Space is developing its modular TILE architecture for high-performance computing in space. The technology combines computing, solar power and passive thermal management. The platform is designed to support artificial intelligence inference, data processing and other computing-intensive workloads in orbit. The companies said the collaboration could help move orbital computing beyond individual demonstrations toward repeatable and scalable infrastructure. Redwire Space Chief Technology Officer Al Tadros said orbital data centers could provide additional computing capacity beyond the limits of terrestrial infrastructure. Government, Commercial Opportunities in Focus Sophia Space and Redwire also plan to pursue select U.S. government and commercial opportunities. Potential customers and programs could involve the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, Air Force Research Laboratory, Space Development Agency and National Reconnaissance Office. The companies may collaborate on technology concepts, joint proposals, internal research and development, customer engagement and international opportunities. Sophia Space develops orbital computing and in-space data center technology for satellites, defense systems and commercial space stations. Redwire develops space and defense technologies, including aerospace infrastructure, autonomous systems and multi-domain platforms. The company employs about 1,400 people across North America and Europe. See More: Top Value Stocks Stock Analysis Redwire stock rose nearly 3% Wednesday as broader markets moved higher. The Nasdaq gained 0.63%, while the S&P 500 rose 0.42%. Redwire is trading near its 200-day simple moving average of $11.02. It is also close to its 20-day SMA of $11 and 50-day SMA of $11.05. That makes the $11 area an important support zone. However, shares remain about 10.6% below the 100-day SMA of $12.59, suggesting the intermediate trend has not fully recovered. The relative strength index stands at 51.21. That is a neutral reading and suggests the stock is neither overbought nor oversold. The moving-average setup remains mixed. The 20-day SMA is below the 50-day SMA, which points to near-term weakness. However, the 50-day SMA remains above the 200-day SMA following a September golden cross. Resistance sits near $12.50. Support is around $10 if shares fall below the cluster of moving averages near $11. Analyst Outlook The stock carries a Hold consensus rating and an average price forecast of $15.13 across six analysts. Forecasts range from $8 to $24. Guggenheim initiated coverage with a Neutral rating on Sept. 15. Bank of America maintained an Underperform rating while raising its price forecast to $8 on Aug. 31. Canaccord Genuity maintained a Buy rating and raised its forecast to $15 on Aug. 10. Benzinga Edge Rankings Redwire has a Benzinga Edge Momentum score of 71.11. The reading points to stronger-than-average recent price momentum. Holding the $11 area could keep that momentum intact, while a sustained break below the 200-day SMA would weaken the technical setup. Top ETF Exposure The Defiance Drone and Modern Warfare ETF (NYSE:JEDI) has a 10.94% weighting in Redwire. The Moonvest ETF (NASDAQ:MNVT) has a 5.41% weighting, while the VanEck Space ETF (NASDAQ:WARP) has a 3.84% weighting. Because Redwire represents a notable portion of these funds, ETF inflows and outflows can contribute to trading activity in the shares. Price Action Redwire shares were up 2.70% at $11.02 at the time of publication Wednesday, according to Benzinga Pro data. Image via Shutterstock Read Also: Redwire, Rocket Lab, Firefly Split a $981 Million Space Force Pie