The 41-year-old wealthy businessman Jared Isaacman has been nominated by President-elect Donald Trump to be the next administrator of NASA. On December 4, 2024, Trump made this announcement on his social media account, Truth Social.
In addition to being the founder and CEO of the financial technology startup Shift4 Payments and co-founder of the defense aerospace company Draken International, Isaacman is well-known for having led two SpaceX commercial spaceflights.
Experience: Having led the Polaris Dawn and Inspiration4 missions, which included the first private spacewalk, Isaacman has made two trips to space. He has a wealth of commercial spaceflight experience, but no formal federal government background.
Since establishing Draken International in 2012, he has been involved in the aerospace industry and has been the leader of Shift4 for more than 25 years.
Trump commended Isaacman’s love of space and commitment to furthering exploration in his remarks. According to him, Isaacman will “drive NASA’s mission of discovery and inspiration,” opening the door for revolutionary advancements in space technology and research. Isaacman said he was honored to be nominated and pledged to collaborate with NASA’s team to accomplish common exploration and discovery objectives.
Isaacman would take over as NASA administrator in lieu of former Senator Bill Nelson if the Senate confirms him. Given NASA’s persistent financial constraints and difficulties with its Artemis program, his hiring comes at a crucial moment. Isaacman’s close relationships with SpaceX and Elon Musk may have an impact on NASA’s alliances with private space firms, advancing the trend of commercial space exploration.
“I can assure you that, with President Trump’s backing, we will never again be unable to reach the stars and will never be content to settle for second place. We will encourage kids, both yours and mine, to dream big and reach for the stars. Americans will improve the quality of life on Earth by walking on the Moon and Mars. Serving in this capacity and collaborating with NASA’s incredible team to realize our common goals of exploration and discovery is an honor of a lifetime,” Isaacman said in a statement.
