Billionaire investor Jared Isaacman just became the new administrator of NASA. He is best known for his entrepreneurial pursuits in the commercial aerospace arena and as a supporter of colleague and fellow entrepreneur Elon Musk. The Senate confirmed his nomination by an overwhelming 67-30 vote, indicating a dramatic change in leadership within the powerful agency. At 42 years old, Isaacman would be the first NASA administrator in decades to arrive directly from outside of government.
Isaacman has an estimated net worth of $1.2 billion (£894 million). He constructed his treasure principally through the creation of payment-processing habits and by divesting a business that trained aviators and flew military aircraft. He is an amateur jet pilot and has generated his share of headlines for his groundbreaking endeavors. During his private space missions, he became the first non-professional astronaut to conduct a spacewalk.
President Donald Trump originally nominated Isaacman to head NASA. In May, his nomination took a major blow when it was withdrawn after a close inspection of his past affiliations. After falling short, he was renominated in November and finally confirmed by the Senate.
In his new role, Isaacman is serious about supporting and enriching NASA’s mission. He hopes to deepen collaborations with university partners. He was careful to remind everyone that through universities and collaborations NASA could be an “economic multiplier for science.”
In the same Twitter thread, Isaacman congratulated Blue Origin for receiving a $3 billion contract. He has long championed private sector involvement in space exploration, and particularly so given that the company is owned by Jeff Bezos.
He articulated the urgency of NASA’s objectives, stating, “This is not the time for delay but a time for action because if we fall behind – if we make a mistake – we may never catch up, and the consequences could shift the balance of power here on Earth.”
Isaacman’s strong motivation to accelerate NASA’s initiatives is on display in his commitment to pursue any and all funding sources. He stated, “I will explore every option to get the program to the pad, even funding it myself if that’s what it takes to deliver the science.”
Isaacman will take over from Sean Duffy, the current Secretary of Transportation, at the helm of the state’s space agency. His confirmation, though, is a sign of what’s to come – a change in NASA’s approach to space exploration and public-private partnerships in the future.