Shares in Firefly Aerospace are up 45% in their public debut, marking the next evolution for a company that survived bankruptcy and turmoil to develop its own fleet of rockets and successfully land a private spacecraft on the moon.

Shares in the Cedar Park, Texas, aerospace company began trading at $70 on the Nasdaq stock exchange midday Thursday under the symbol FLY, jumping from the initial public offering price of $45. Shares were at close to $64 a share in midafternoon trading.