Newly elected U.S. President Donald Trump has nominated billionaire entrepreneur and private astronaut Jared Isaacman as the next NASA Administrator. During Trump’s second term, NASA is expected to face significant changes and challenges, including advancing the Artemis Program, expanding commercial space activities, and managing the de-orbiting of the International Space Station (ISS), according to TechCrunch.
Isaacman, founder and CEO of the payment processing platform Shift4, is a leading advocate for commercial space exploration. Through his Polaris Program, he has sponsored two orbital missions with SpaceX, including a mission where he conducted the first private spacewalk using a new spacesuit.
He previously proposed funding an orbit-boosting mission for the Hubble Space Telescope, although NASA did not pursue this initiative. Isaacman is also a vocal supporter of SpaceX’s mission to develop multi-planetary life.
Managing NASA’s $25 billion budget, 18,000 employees, and various projects, Isaacman is expected to bring transformative changes to the agency. NASA’s major programs, such as the Artemis Program aiming to return humans to the Moon, have faced delays and budgetary challenges.
In a statement, Isaacman said, “NASA will lead humanity in becoming a truly spacefaring species.”
Isaacman is set to replace current NASA Administrator Bill Nelson, who was appointed by President Joe Biden in 2021. However, Isaacman’s appointment requires Senate confirmation before he can take office.
