In what was very much a not-normal confirmation process, today marks day one of Jared Isaacman‘s tenure as NASA Administrator. The billionaire and commercial astronaut will now be able to take over the reins and begin managing the largest space agency in the world.
Earlier today, Jared Isaacman was sworn in as NASA’s 15th administrator. He takes over from Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, who took over from Kennedy Space Center Director Janet Petro as acting and interim administrator.
Isaacman won his confirmation hearing by a 67-30 partially bipartisan vote of the Senate. All 30 votes against came from Democrats while the 67 votes for came from Senate Republicans and 16 Democrats.
Now, as an officially sworn-in government employee, Isaacman can begin to shape NASA according to his vision for the future of space exploration. He laid out his commitments in an X post after his swearing-in ceremony.
Mission: I will champion the bold objectives of human space exploration, scientific discovery, and a thriving orbital economy that ensures America’s leadership in space. We will never again give up our capabilities to reach for the stars, and we will never settle for second place.
Integrity: I will serve responsibly, transparently, and without personal gain, covering every cost I am legally permitted to, and fully adhering to my ethics agreement. My loyalty is to my country, my President, and the space agency that has inspired me since I was a child.
Urgency: I will intensely focus the agency on achieving the near-impossible, the very reason NASA was established in the first place. We will eliminate the bureaucracy that impedes progress and empower the best and brightest to take ownership, move quickly, accept smart risks, and act with a relentless focus on mission success.
Inspiration: Every launch, every scientific breakthrough must inspire the next generation to dream bigger, to reach higher, and believe that anything is possible. In addition to my existing philanthropic efforts, I will donate my salary as Administrator to the U.S. Space & Rocket Center’s Space Camp to help prepare the pioneers of tomorrow.
The last year has been a bumpy road in getting Isaacman to the NASA chief post. While he was one of the first people nominated on the first day of President Trump‘s second term, the President later removed his nominations after a fallout between Trump and Elon Musk.
Isaacman was later re-nominated by the President at the beginning of November, after which Isaacman blazed through his confirmation hearings and subsequent vote.
Concerns have been raised over his close connections with SpaceX, which is NASA’s most reliant contractor when it comes to both launching crews to the International Space Station and landing future Artemis crews on the Moon’s surface.
Isaacman also received some flack for his Project Athena report that shared plans to revamp NASA’s structure and priorities, including privatizing some aspects of the agency. He gained the support of key senators with the promise to consult with them as he continues researching the plans in that document and before any implementation.
Space Explored’s Take
Having met Isaacman before and followed him during his Inspiration4 and Polaris Dawn missions, Jared Isaacman is surely a capable man for the job.
An original concern of mine was his lack of political experience; however, his recent two confirmation hearings and the way he was able to get himself back on the ticket for nomination are impressive and prove he’s up for the job.
Next up will be the challenge of navigating what budget Congress decides to give NASA and the will of the President to get what he wants done. Isaacman will face increased pressure to ensure Artemis 3 goes off before China’s planned lunar landing and that NASA is 100% successful. All this while also making sure the other parts of NASA, science and aviation research, don’t fall apart due to their less-than-impressive marketing ability.
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