Who is Jared Isaacman, Donald Trump's pick as next NASA chief?
Jared Isaacman, the first private astronaut to spacewalk, has been nominated by Donald Trump to lead NASA. Isaacman's close ties with Elon Musk raise potential conflict of interest concerns given Musk's role in a government efficiency panel.
FollowJared Isaacman, the millionaire online payments entrepreneur and the first private astronaut to complete a spacewalk, was named by US President-elect Donald Trump on Wednesday to lead NASA going forward. Given Isaacman's strong financial links to Elon Musk, one of Trump's closest allies and the co-chair of a government efficiency panel, the nomination may raise concerns about possible conflicts of interest.
“I am delighted to nominate Jared Isaacman, an accomplished business leader, philanthropist, pilot, and astronaut, as Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). Jared will drive NASA’s mission of discovery and inspiration, paving the way for groundbreaking achievements in Space science, technology, and exploration," he said in a post on his Truth Social platform.
Trump's selection was an honor for Isaacman, who expressed his enthusiasm for America taking the lead in the "most incredible adventure in human history." He promised to guide NASA to develop a robust space industry and investigate every avenue for space research.
Who is Jared Isaacman?
Isaacman, 41, who founded Shift4, a payment processing firm located in Pennsylvania, and serves as its CEO. He has not had a position at NASA or the federal government, but he has made two trips to orbit on private SpaceX missions. According to Forbes, his estimated net worth is $1.9 billion.
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The first non-professional astronaut to enter space with SpaceX's private Polaris Dawn mission in 2023 is Isaacman, a business associate of Elon Musk, the company's owner. Additionally, in September 2021, he provided funding for SpaceX's first all-civilian launch, the Inspiration4 mission, which orbited the Earth.
If approved, Isaacman would assume leadership of NASA at a pivotal moment in the aerospace agency's history, as the United States has scheduled important missions to assist in the return of people to the moon in the upcoming years. Since China's space program has advanced significantly, the US is facing more competition in its lunar exploration missions.
He will replace Bill Nelson, who has occupied the role since May 2021. Nelson represented Florida as a senator from 2001 to 2019, and as a member of the US House of Representatives from 1979 to 1991.
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