🔗 Share this article Tycoon Jared Isaacman Approved as NASA Administrator Following Controversial Nomination Source: Getty Images Entrepreneur Jared Isaacman has been voted in as the next chief of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, concluding an extraordinary nomination process where the President put his name forward, withdrew it, and then renominated him. The billionaire, an private pilot who became the first private citizen to undertake a spacewalk, is also the first NASA administrator in a generation to come straight from outside government. For numerous observers, the legacy of his tenure will be determined by one key benchmark: if NASA can land people to the lunar surface ahead of the Chinese space program. The President has made clear a desire for the US to build a permanent lunar base, both to allow for harvesting materials and to act as a staging point for journeys to Mars. Confirmation Vote and Nomination Drama On This week, the U.S. Senate confirmed his appointment with a decisive vote. Trump first withdrew the nomination in May, referencing a "comprehensive examination of past connections". At the period, the president was engaged in a dispute with the SpaceX CEO, one of his major contributors, with whom Isaacman has a working relationship. The new administrator says he is now fully behind the administration's goal to harvest the moon, putting him at odds with Musk, who has argued that focus on the moon is a distraction from the goal of Martian exploration. Strategic Plan In the ongoing space battle, countries are vying to utilize the lunar surface. “Now is not the time for inaction but a time for action because if we fall behind, if we err, we may never catch up, and the consequences could change the strategic equilibrium here on Earth,” he told the Senate committee during his hearing. The business leader sees introducing more private sector competition as essential for achieving those targets, according to a recently disclosed document outlining his strategy for NASA. In his testimony, he supported the plan, which he crafted when he was first nominated, but clarified it was a evolving strategy. His welcoming of competition could also create a conflict with Musk. Last week, Isaacman praised the issuance of a major contract to Blue Origin, which is one of the primary competitors of SpaceX. In the document, he proposed the agency should increasingly partner with research institutes, envisioning the agency as a "amplifier for scientific discovery". He highlighted the planned 2027 launch of the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope as a prime illustration. "And if we be close to something groundbreaking - like deploying the Roman Telescope - I will explore every option to see it launched, even providing personal financing if that's what it takes to achieve the discoveries," he remarked. Personal Fortune According to reports, Isaacman's net worth is valued at around 1.2 billion dollars, primarily derived from his payment processing company and the divestment of his firm that trained pilots and managed a private fleet of military aircraft. The position of agency chief will be his maiden role in politics, a break from the previous two appointees appointed as head of the agency. He will take over from the former transportation secretary, who has been the interim NASA chief since the summer.
Source: Getty Images Entrepreneur Jared Isaacman has been voted in as the next chief of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, concluding an extraordinary nomination process where the President put his name forward, withdrew it, and then renominated him. The billionaire, an private pilot who became the first private citizen to undertake a spacewalk, is also the first NASA administrator in a generation to come straight from outside government. For numerous observers, the legacy of his tenure will be determined by one key benchmark: if NASA can land people to the lunar surface ahead of the Chinese space program. The President has made clear a desire for the US to build a permanent lunar base, both to allow for harvesting materials and to act as a staging point for journeys to Mars. Confirmation Vote and Nomination Drama On This week, the U.S. Senate confirmed his appointment with a decisive vote. Trump first withdrew the nomination in May, referencing a "comprehensive examination of past connections". At the period, the president was engaged in a dispute with the SpaceX CEO, one of his major contributors, with whom Isaacman has a working relationship. The new administrator says he is now fully behind the administration's goal to harvest the moon, putting him at odds with Musk, who has argued that focus on the moon is a distraction from the goal of Martian exploration. Strategic Plan In the ongoing space battle, countries are vying to utilize the lunar surface. “Now is not the time for inaction but a time for action because if we fall behind, if we err, we may never catch up, and the consequences could change the strategic equilibrium here on Earth,” he told the Senate committee during his hearing. The business leader sees introducing more private sector competition as essential for achieving those targets, according to a recently disclosed document outlining his strategy for NASA. In his testimony, he supported the plan, which he crafted when he was first nominated, but clarified it was a evolving strategy. His welcoming of competition could also create a conflict with Musk. Last week, Isaacman praised the issuance of a major contract to Blue Origin, which is one of the primary competitors of SpaceX. In the document, he proposed the agency should increasingly partner with research institutes, envisioning the agency as a "amplifier for scientific discovery". He highlighted the planned 2027 launch of the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope as a prime illustration. "And if we be close to something groundbreaking - like deploying the Roman Telescope - I will explore every option to see it launched, even providing personal financing if that's what it takes to achieve the discoveries," he remarked. Personal Fortune According to reports, Isaacman's net worth is valued at around 1.2 billion dollars, primarily derived from his payment processing company and the divestment of his firm that trained pilots and managed a private fleet of military aircraft. The position of agency chief will be his maiden role in politics, a break from the previous two appointees appointed as head of the agency. He will take over from the former transportation secretary, who has been the interim NASA chief since the summer.