NEW YORK, April 1 (Reuters) - Shares of SpaceDev Inc. (OTC BB:SPDV.OB -
News) soared after the maker of satellites and propulsion systems said on
Thursday it won a contract worth as much as $43 million over the next five
years to conduct satellite experiments for the U.S. Missile Defense Agency.

Shares closed up 69 percent after the Poway, California-based company,
which was founded in 1996, said the contract was its largest award to date.

"The successful completion of each contract phase would result in
significantly accelerated growth in sales and revenues for us over the next
few years," said SpaceDev founding Chairman and Chief Executive Jim Benson.