The man who commanded multiple space missions for Elon Musk has been nominated to lead NASA.
President-elect Donald Trump nominated Jared Isaacman, the billionaire and repeat SpaceX astronaut, to be NASA’s administrator on Wednesday.
Isaacman, who is also the CEO of the payments company Shift4, recently made history by leading the first private spacewalk with SpaceX’s Polaris Dawn mission. The five-day mission took Isaacman and three others further from Earth than anyone has traveled since the Apollo moon missions.
He also previously helped finance and lead the world’s first all-civilian private spaceflight. That was also a SpaceX mission, called Inspiration4, which Isaacman commanded.
“Jared will drive NASA’s mission of discovery and inspiration, paving the way for groundbreaking achievements in Space science, technology, and exploration,” Trump wrote in a Truth Social post announcing his nomination.
Trump pointed to Isaacman’s passion for space and “exceptional leadership,” demonstrated by his 25 years as the founder and CEO of Shift4. Trump also highlighted Isaacman’s work as the cofounder and former CEO of Draken International, a defense aerospace company that supported the US Department of Defense, the UK, and NATO countries.
“I think that’s a creative and hopeful recommendation,” George Nield, a former head of the FAA’s office of commercial space transportation, told Business Insider. “Jared has a lot of vision and enthusiasm.”
He added that, “I would interpret this as at least an openness, if not strong advocacy, for industry playing an important role for the nation’s space programs going forward.”
Elon Musk, who is the founder and CEO of SpaceX and whom Trump tapped to lead a new Department of Government Efficiency, said “Congratulations” to Isaacman on X.
This would be Isaacman’s first-ever role in government.
‘An era where humanity becomes a true spacefaring civilization’
Following his nomination, Isaacman wrote in a post on X that it is “the honor of a lifetime to serve in this role” and work alongside NASA.
“With the support of President Trump, I can promise you this: We will never again lose our ability to journey to the stars and never settle for second place,” Isaacman said, adding that “Americans will walk on the Moon and Mars.”
Isaacman added that space holds potential for advancements in various areas including manufacturing, biotechnology, and possibly new energy sources. He also shared his vision for a “thriving space economy” with opportunities for people to work in space.
“At NASA, we will passionately pursue these possibilities and usher in an era where humanity becomes a true spacefaring civilization,” Isaacman said in the post.
Michelle Hanlon, executive director of the Center for Air and Space Law at the University of Mississippi School of Law, told BI in an email that this was a “perfect direction for NASA.”
It’s unclear whether his new role would impact his work with SpaceX or any plans he has to fly on future missions. The Polaris Program Isaacman is leading includes two more missions over the next six to nine years, including the first crewed flight of SpaceX’s Starship mega-rocket.
Nield said Isaacman and his team at NASA would likely assess the tradeoffs and the risk of him flying into space during his term as Administrator.
“NASA’s got a great team. They’ve got super smart and experienced and motivated people, but they need a leader. They need a communicator,” Nield said. “They need someone who is not afraid to try something new if the old ways aren’t working. So I think I’m excited about that choice.”
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