In an unexpected turn of events, President Donald Trump has officially renominated Jared Isaacman to head NASA. Isaacman, a 42-year-old entrepreneur, already had his nomination withdrawn at the end of May. Isaacman has very good connections to SpaceX founder and CEO Elon Musk, and he is very, very rich. Because after his recent one-two punch of success in space exploration, he’s become the de facto leader of the space industry.
Isaacman, who is worth an estimated $1.9 billion, made his fortune starting Shift4 Payments. He launched this payment processing company in 1999 at the age of just 16, running it out of his parents’ basement. That entrepreneurial success has only further inspired his commitment to the burgeoning space sector. He has personally poured hundreds of millions of dollars into these SpaceX undertakings.
An amateur jet pilot, Isaacman had by any measure accomplished an extraordinary feat. He holds the world record for fastest circumnavigation of the globe in a light jet. His passion for aviation and space was further demonstrated last year when he became the first non-professional astronaut to walk in space during a mission funded by himself with SpaceX.
While Isaacman’s qualifications are beyond question, his nomination hasn’t been without controversy. Skepticism quickly developed due to potential conflicts of interest, budget cuts, and his grand designs to send astronauts to Mars. Critics from both sides of the aisle have questioned if he was the right man to juggle competing big-picture goals between Moon and Mars missions.
Isaacman is still particularly bullish on adapting his best vision of NASA. He doesn’t think we need to prioritize one over the other and can do both lunar and Martian explorations together.
“We don’t have to make a binary decision of Moon versus Mars, or Moon has to come first versus Mars,” – Jared Isaacman
Isaacman’s record of political contributions also makes his nomination particularly fraught. In previous elections, he has contributed to Democratic campaigns, which may raise questions about his alignment with the current administration’s agenda.
“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,” – Donald Trump
Isaacman’s history of political donations also adds a layer of complexity to his nomination. In previous elections, he has contributed to Democratic campaigns, which may raise questions about his alignment with the current administration’s agenda.
