š Share this article Billionaire Jared Isaacman Confirmed as Nasa Chief Following Rocky Nomination Source: Getty Images Wealthy businessman Jared Isaacman has been formally approved as the next chief of NASA, capping an extraordinary nomination process where President Donald Trump put his name forward, pulled the nomination, and then renominated him. The billionaire, an amateur jet pilot who became the first private citizen to perform a spacewalk, is also the first NASA administrator in decades to come entirely from outside public service. For a significant portion of the space community, the ultimate measure of his leadership will be judged on one key benchmark: whether it can land people to the lunar surface ahead of China. Trump has made clear a goal for the US to establish a sustained presence on the moon, both to facilitate mining operations and to act as a launching pad for missions to Mars. Legislative Approval and Political Dynamics On Wednesday, the Senate confirmed the nomination with a bipartisan vote. The President originally rescinded Isaacman's nomination in the spring, citing a "deep dive of past connections". At the point, the president was openly clashing with the SpaceX CEO, one of his biggest supporters, with whom the nominee has business connections. Isaacman indicates he is now fully behind Trump's mission to mine the moon, placing him in disagreement with Musk, who has stated that focus on the moon is a detour from the primary objective of Martian exploration. Strategic Plan In the ongoing global space race, world powers are competing to tap into the lunar surface. āThis is not the time for inaction but a time for action because if we lose ground, if we err, we may never catch up, and the consequences could alter the strategic equilibrium here on Earth,ā Isaacman told US Senators recently. The business leader sees introducing more private sector competition as key to accomplishing those objectives, according to a recently leaked paper laying out his plan for NASA. In his Senate hearing, he reaffirmed the strategy, which he crafted when he was originally put forward, but noted it was a evolving strategy. His support for multiple providers could also lead to tension with Musk. Recently, he commended the award of a major contract to Blue Origin, which is one of the few rivals of Musk's SpaceX. In the leaked plan, he recommended the agency should expand collaboration with research institutes, casting the agency as a "catalyst for research". He highlighted the planned deployment of the Roman Space Telescope as a flagship example. "Should we be approaching something remarkable - like deploying the Roman Telescope - I will leave no stone unturned to get the program to the pad, even providing personal financing if that's what it requires to deliver the science," he remarked. Background and Net Worth According to estimates, his wealth is pegged at approximately $1.2bn, accumulated through his financial services firm and the sale of his firm that trained pilots and managed a private fleet of military aircraft. The NASA administrator role will be his first job in government service, a departure from the previous two appointees who served as head of the agency. He will replace the former transportation secretary, who has served as temporary leader since the summer.
Source: Getty Images Wealthy businessman Jared Isaacman has been formally approved as the next chief of NASA, capping an extraordinary nomination process where President Donald Trump put his name forward, pulled the nomination, and then renominated him. The billionaire, an amateur jet pilot who became the first private citizen to perform a spacewalk, is also the first NASA administrator in decades to come entirely from outside public service. For a significant portion of the space community, the ultimate measure of his leadership will be judged on one key benchmark: whether it can land people to the lunar surface ahead of China. Trump has made clear a goal for the US to establish a sustained presence on the moon, both to facilitate mining operations and to act as a launching pad for missions to Mars. Legislative Approval and Political Dynamics On Wednesday, the Senate confirmed the nomination with a bipartisan vote. The President originally rescinded Isaacman's nomination in the spring, citing a "deep dive of past connections". At the point, the president was openly clashing with the SpaceX CEO, one of his biggest supporters, with whom the nominee has business connections. Isaacman indicates he is now fully behind Trump's mission to mine the moon, placing him in disagreement with Musk, who has stated that focus on the moon is a detour from the primary objective of Martian exploration. Strategic Plan In the ongoing global space race, world powers are competing to tap into the lunar surface. āThis is not the time for inaction but a time for action because if we lose ground, if we err, we may never catch up, and the consequences could alter the strategic equilibrium here on Earth,ā Isaacman told US Senators recently. The business leader sees introducing more private sector competition as key to accomplishing those objectives, according to a recently leaked paper laying out his plan for NASA. In his Senate hearing, he reaffirmed the strategy, which he crafted when he was originally put forward, but noted it was a evolving strategy. His support for multiple providers could also lead to tension with Musk. Recently, he commended the award of a major contract to Blue Origin, which is one of the few rivals of Musk's SpaceX. In the leaked plan, he recommended the agency should expand collaboration with research institutes, casting the agency as a "catalyst for research". He highlighted the planned deployment of the Roman Space Telescope as a flagship example. "Should we be approaching something remarkable - like deploying the Roman Telescope - I will leave no stone unturned to get the program to the pad, even providing personal financing if that's what it requires to deliver the science," he remarked. Background and Net Worth According to estimates, his wealth is pegged at approximately $1.2bn, accumulated through his financial services firm and the sale of his firm that trained pilots and managed a private fleet of military aircraft. The NASA administrator role will be his first job in government service, a departure from the previous two appointees who served as head of the agency. He will replace the former transportation secretary, who has served as temporary leader since the summer.