Jacob Ogles
President-elect Donald Trump wants commercial astronaut Jared Isaacman to lead the nation’s space agency.
Isaacson founded Shift4, a payment processing company in Pennsylvania, and flew to space in 2022 with Elon Musk’s SpaceX on its first all-civilian spaceflight.
“I am delighted to nominate Jared Isaacman, an accomplished business leader, philanthropist, pilot, and astronaut, as Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. Jared will drive NASA’s mission of discovery and inspiration, paving the way for groundbreaking achievements in Space science, technology and exploration,” Trump posted on Truth Social.
“Over the past 25 years, as the Founder and CEO of Shift4, Jared has demonstrated exceptional leadership, building a trailblazing global financial technology company. He also co-founded and served as CEO of Draken International, a defense aerospace company, for over a decade, supporting the U.S. Department of Defense, and our Allies. Jared’s passion for Space, astronaut experience, and dedication to pushing the boundaries of exploration, unlocking the mysteries of the universe, and advancing the new Space economy, make him ideally suited to lead NASA into a bold new Era.”
Isaacman said he was honored to be nominated for the post by Trump.
“Having been fortunate to see our amazing planet from space, I am passionate about America leading the most incredible adventure in human history. On my last mission to space, my crew and I traveled farther from Earth than anyone in over half a century. I can confidently say this second space age has only just begun,” he posted on X.
“Space holds unparalleled potential for breakthroughs in manufacturing, biotechnology, mining, and perhaps even pathways to new sources of energy. There will inevitably be a thriving space economy — one that will create opportunities for countless people to live and work in space. At NASA, we will passionately pursue these possibilities and usher in an era where humanity becomes a true spacefaring civilization.”
Isaacman was chosen to succeed current NASA Administrator Bill Nelson, who previously represented Florida in the U.S. Senate. Nelson was named to the post by Democratic President Joe Biden. Like Isaacman, Nelson also was an astronaut, having flown into orbit on the Space Shuttle Columbia in 1986 while he served in Congress.
The selection of Isaacman could signal a greater focus on commercialization of space exploration. He also promised a focus on manned space flight.
“I was born after the Moon landings; my children were born after the final space shuttle launch,” Isaacman posted.
“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. We will inspire children, yours and mine, to look up and dream of what is possible. Americans will walk on the Moon and Mars and in doing so, we will make life better here on Earth. It is the honor of a lifetime to serve in this role and to work alongside NASA’s extraordinary team to realize our shared dreams of exploration and discovery.”
