On Wednesday, President-elect Trump revealed that he has selected Jared Isaacman to head the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) in his upcoming administration.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump expressed confidence in Isaacman’s leadership, stating, “Jared will drive NASA’s mission of discovery and inspiration, paving the way for groundbreaking achievements in space science, technology, and exploration.” He highlighted Isaacman’s role as the founder and CEO of Shift4, a payment processing firm.
From private spacewalks to NASA’s helm, Isaacman takes on a stellar role
The tech entrepreneur previously collaborated with SpaceX CEO Elon Musk in September, participating in the testing of new spacesuits during the first private spacewalk. Isaacman not only helped finance the mission but also joined three others aboard the flight.
This mission was the initial one of three that Isaacman purchased from Musk following his debut private spaceflight in 2021. In addition to his work with Shift4, Isaacman is the co-founder and CEO of Draken International, a private fighter jet company that contracts with the Defense Department.
Trump praised Isaacman’s enthusiasm for space, his astronaut experience, and his commitment to exploring the unknown and fostering the new space economy, stating that these qualities make him well-suited to lead NASA into a “bold new era.”
He also extended his congratulations to Isaacman, his wife Monica, and their daughters, Mila and Liv. Should Isaacman be confirmed, he will take over from the current NASA administrator, former Senator Bill Nelson (D-Fla.). Nelson, a three-term senator, lost his reelection campaign in 2018 to Senator Rick Scott (R-Fla.).
