Musk favorite Jared Isaacman confirmed by US Senate as next NASA chief

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The nomination of businessman and billionaire Jared Isaacman as the new NASA chief has cleared a major hurdle with his confirmation in the US Senate. Nothing now stands in the way of his appointment. This brings the unusual process, following the initial nomination a year ago and subsequent political back-and-forth, to a close. Isaacman's selection is unusual, as NASA chiefs are typically chosen from among scientists, engineers, academics, and government officials. Now, a businessman will be entrusted with the responsibility for the race to the moon with China.

US President Donald Trump had declared his intention to make the now 42-year-old Isaacman the head of NASA shortly after his election victory a year ago. The businessman built his fortune as the founder and CEO of the payment service provider Shift4. However, he gained worldwide recognition as a space tourist, having flown into space twice with SpaceX spacecraft. He paid for the flights himself and, in the process, built a relationship of trust with SpaceX CEO Elon Musk. Musk apparently ensured that Trump then nominated him.

Isaacman's Confirmation by a Large Majority

When the relationship between Trump and Musk cooled in the spring, Donald Trump dropped the Musk confidant and withdrew the nomination, reportedly because Isaacman had donated money to the Democratic Party in the past. However, last month, there was a reversal, and Donald Trump nominated Jared Isaacman for the second time as NASA chief. The final step towards the official appointment was now taken in the US Senate. The Senate confirmed Isaacman as the next NASA administrator with a majority of 67 to 30 votes.

Isaacman has many supporters, as he is considered a bold risk-taker. He founded Shift4 at the age of 16 and financed experimental orbital flights with his fortune. On his second space flight, Isaacman served as a test subject for new SpaceX spacesuits. He and a SpaceX employee extended themselves out of the spacecraft's hatch for several minutes, during which the suit's mobility was tested and data was collected.

Isaacman's SpaceX Connection and Trump Donation

However, there are also critical voices regarding the NASA nomination. Concerns have been raised that Isaacman is too closely connected to Musk. Earlier this week, Democratic US Senator Edward Markey sharply criticized SpaceX for not disclosing how much Isaacman paid for his space flights. Markey had urged SpaceX to release Isaacman from his non-disclosure agreement, which prevents him from informing the Senate about the costs of the space flights.

“This is extremely suspicious. SpaceX could benefit billions from a NASA administrator who is favorable to them, and it seems only fair that the American public understands the extent of the financial entanglements between Isaacman and SpaceX,” Markey said on Monday. “If it looks like corruption, sounds like corruption, and feels like corruption, then it's simply corruption.”

Isaacman rejects the accusations of too close a connection to SpaceX. “I led two space missions for SpaceX because it is the only organization that can transport astronauts to and from space since the retirement of the Space Shuttle,” Isaacman said according to CNN. “And in that regard, my relationship is no different from that of NASA.”

Furthermore, it became known in early December that Isaacman had donated approximately 2 million US dollars to Donald Trump's political fundraising committee, “Super PAC.” He explained this by short-term considerations of a political career. “I don't want to speculate on why the President nominated me,” Isaacman said at a hearing. “It should surprise no one that I have supported the Republican Party,” he added. In the past, Isaacman has financially supported both Democratic and Republican candidates and sees himself as politically neutral or centrist.

Postponed Moon Mission to Finally Launch in 2026

NASA plans to send four astronauts on a flight around the moon next year with the NASA mission Artemis-2 as an important test of the next-generation rocket and spacecraft. This was originally planned for this year but was already postponed at the end of 2024, meaning NASA will not send humans to the moon in 2025 either. Should the mission, planned for April 2026 at the earliest, be successful, NASA intends to land astronauts near the lunar south pole in 2027. In contrast, China plans, according to NBC News, to land its astronauts on the lunar surface by 2030.

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