After a year of twists and turns, NASA finally has a new chief.
After receiving arenomination by President Donald Trumpon Nov. 4, Jared Isaacman was confirmed on Dec. 17 by the U.S. Senate as the next NASA administrator. The vote was 67-30.
Isaacman will lead an agency of 14,000 employees as it invests billions of dollars into its most ambitious space exploration endeavor yet: returning humans to the moon to seed a long-term presence on the surface before eventually sending astronauts to Mars.
"As Administrator, Isaacman will oversee NASA's work across human exploration, space science, aeronautics, and technological development, including the agency's Artemis program to return astronauts to the Moon and prepare for future missions to Mars," a Dec. 17 NASA press release stated.
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Isaacman follows Bill Nelson, who served as NASA Administrator under former PresidentJoe Biden. Isaacman will serve as NASA's 15thadministrator since its creation in 1958.
Originally nominated for the role in December 2024, the Shift4 billionaire and astronaut awaited a final Senate vote to confirm his appointment back in late May. However, Trump withdrew Isaacman's nomination, citing Isaacman's previous donations to Democrats. This move also occurred during a period of heightened tensions between Trump andSpaceX CEO Elon Musk, who had been one ofIsaacman's strongest supporters.
As NASA awaited a permanent administrator, Secretary of TransportationSean Duffy fulfilledthe duties. Duffy congratulated Isaacman on X, wishing him "success as he begins his tenure and leads NASA as we go back to the Moon in 2028 and beat China."
Isaacman first gained recognition in the space industry by funding Inspiration4, the first all-private civilian orbital mission, which flew aboard a SpaceX Dragon in 2021. In 2024, he returned to orbit on the Polaris Dawn mission with SpaceX, where he participated in the first spacewalk conducted by a private company.
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Numerous space industry experts and astronauts have consistently rallied around Isaacman, saying he offers NASA the appropriate perspective, especially as the agency navigates reductions to its budget as well as competition with China for leadership in space.
The White House, in its government efficiency push led by Musk, slashed NASA's workforce by 20% and has sought to cut the agency's 2026 budget by roughly 25% from its usual $25 billion, imperiling dozens of space-science programs that scientists and some officials regard as priorities.
NASA's Artemis sending astronauts to the moon
Isaacman takes office at a time when NASA is preparing to return humanity to the moon. Artemis II aims to send a crew of four astronauts around the moon for the first time in more than 50 years when it launches no earlier than February 2026. Artemis III will follow by the end of 2027 and that mission will see astronauts set foot on the moon for the first time since 1972.
"Mr. Isaacman will be taking the helm just as NASA is set to launch Artemis 2—the agency's first crewed use of the Space Launch System rocket and the first crewed mission on the Orion spacecraft, which will bring American astronauts closer to the lunar surface than at any point since 1972," U.S. Senator Ted Cruz, a Republican from Texas, said during a December hearing.
As Isaacman has flown two private missions with SpaceX, many expect him to be an advocate for continuing to work with private space companies. This includes a possible shift away from traditional NASA contractors during future launches.
Some Democratic senators said during Isaacman's hearing on December 3 that they are concerned about Isaacman's closeness to Musk, whose company holds about $15 billion in NASA contracts and could benefit from certain policies Isaacman has advocated.
Musk advocated for Isaacman's nomination when Trump was elected in 2024. Musk had sought to realign the U.S. space program with a greater focus on Mars during his stint as a close adviser to Trump.
Contributing: Joey Roulette, Reuters
This article originally appeared on Florida Today:Senate confirms Elon Musk ally Jared Isaacman as NASA administrator
