Billionaire non-public astronaut Jared Isaacman simply completed his second at-bat in his bid for NASA chief.
Isaacman spoke Wednesday (Dec. 3) earlier than the U.S. Senate’s Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation in Washington, D.C., which was holding its second listening to to think about his nomination as NASA administrator.
Fortune changed in Isaacman’s favor when Trump renominated him on Nov. 4, in the wake of media reports saying there was a power struggle occurring over NASA’s administration. (The company is presently led, in an performing capability, by former actuality TV star and Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy.)
Isaacman, who based the payment-processing firm Shift4, struck a cautious tone concerning the twists and turns in his livestreamed testimony throughout Wednesday’s listening to. “I would not even start to need to speculate why the president nominated me, withdrew it and renominated me, apart from to say I used to be grateful for the chance within the first place,” he advised the committee.
Isaacman added that he has made donations to each the Republican and Democratic events and mentioned his solely reference to SpaceX founder and CEO Elon Musk (who additionally held a short lived, distinguished position associated to cost-cutting in Trump’s administration) has been the 2 non-public astronaut missions, which launched in September 2021 and September 2024.
Isaacman declined to disclose precisely how a lot he paid to fly these missions — he apparently is sure by a non-disclosure settlement with SpaceX — however mentioned that he’s complying with all moral necessities associated to his nomination.
‘This isn’t the time for delay, however for motion’
In his opening assertion, Isaacman advised committee members that his remarks come “with a message of urgency” as a result of, in his thoughts, NASA wants a everlasting administrator forward of the launch of the Artemis 2 astronaut mission around the moon, which is currently set for February 2026.
The Artemis program aims to return astronauts to the moon’s surface in 2028 and to set up a long-term sustainable presence on and around Earth’s nearest neighbor not long thereafter. NASA is assembling a coalition of industry and international partners to help make this happen. Artemis has become one of the vehicles by which the United States has sought to compete with China, which is co-leading its own space alliance with Russia and seeks to land astronauts on the moon by 2030.
Congressional hearings in recent months have stressed that the U.S. is in a new “space race” with China, but the two political parties have generally disagreed about how to approach that issue. For example, Democrats have criticized Trump’s proposed deep cuts to NASA’s science budget, which they say would hinder the development of technological advances needed to keep the U.S. in front. But many Republicans argue that streamlining NASA’s approach is necessary to focus dollars on expensive crewed moon and Mars missions.
Isaacman’s opening statement echoed the need to win the new space race. “We are in a great competition with a rival that has the will and means to challenge American exceptionalism across multiple domains, including in the high ground of space,” he said of China. “This is not the time for delay, but 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.”
The billionaire lauded the Trump administration’s spending on human spaceflight in the administration’s “One, Big Beautiful Bill” that passed July 4. As far as science goes, Isaacman’s opening statement said his plan is to “make the most efficient use of every dollar allocated” for future programs on the scale of the Hubble Space Telescope or the James Webb Space Telescope. (During the hearing, Isaacman was asked about the proposed 47% cut to NASA’s science budget for 2026. “If I’m confirmed, I’d love to get my arms around where we are presently at,” the billionaire said.)
In his opening statement, Isaacman also pushed for a deeper relationship with industry, so as to “not rely exclusively on the taxpayer.” While arguing that he is “not here for personal gain, to favor or enrich contractors,” he cited increased spending on privately developed nuclear propulsion and power, as well as reusable launch vehicles, as key to NASA’s moon-to-Mars approach.
And Isaacman promised that NASA “will never accept a gap” in research after the International Space Station‘s retirement in 2030 and the operation of new, privately owned U.S. space stations. If such a gap does open up, China may rush to fill it with its Tiangong space station, critics have said.
From Athena to Artemis
Much has happened in the nearly eight months since Isaacman’s first nomination hearing. Here are some of the other topics that were addressed on Wednesday.
Goddard lab closures: Exclusives from Space.com cited pending lab closures at NASA’s Goddard Area Flight Heart in Maryland, and Congress is now scrutinizing the method by which this was mentioned to have occurred throughout the federal government shutdown. Isaacman advised committee members that he’s studying the identical information stories as others and added, “Goddard is essential to spearheading the scientific efforts of NASA.” However, as with the proposed science funding cuts, Isaacman emphasised that he would wish time to know what’s going on earlier than making any choices. He added that he would allocate the funds as directed by Congress. (Budgets proposed by presidents aren’t enacted till Congress passes them.)
Artemis 3 touchdown system: Duffy pledged in October to reopen competitors for the Artemis 3 moon-landing contract, which SpaceX gained again in 2021. When requested about this concept on Wednesday, Isaacman fastidiously spoke on the program degree, mentioning that Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin has since gained an Artemis astronaut-landing contract as nicely. “I feel that competitors is unbelievable. I feel the most effective factor for SpaceX is a Blue Origin proper on their heels, and vice versa,” he mentioned. “I’ve no explicit curiosity in a single supplier versus one other. My curiosity is in ensuring the target is achieved.”
Challenge Athena: A month in the past, Politico received a leaked, 62-page plan referred to as “Challenge Athena” that was penned by Isaacman. It outlines an method that might transfer a few of NASA’s missions to the non-public sector whereas working the company extra like a enterprise. However, because the nonprofit Planetary Society pointed out, Athena was written lengthy earlier than a number of the newer adjustments at NASA cited above, and Isaacman has all the time framed it as a proposal. In his testimony on Wednesday, Isaacman reiterated that the doc is an interim assortment of “concepts, ideas on the course of the company, analysis requests” that he plans to amend as he receives extra information.
Supersonic flights: Isaacman’s testimony additionally included particular person dialogue on a number of NASA packages, together with NASA’s efforts to develop a “quiet” supersonic jet that would assist carry ultrafast passenger flight again to the U.S. That program noticed the X-59 make a historic first take a look at flight in October. Isaacman was requested how NASA may also help {industry} to proceed innovating for packages like this, with out undue regulation. The company, Isaacman mentioned, is “funded by taxpayers to discover the close to inconceivable in air and house” and would hand off expertise to {industry} “the place competitors can drive innovation and produce down prices.” Isaacman added that he’s watching Increase Supersonic, a personal firm additionally innovating in supersonic flight, however stored his suggestions extra normal concerning the industry-versus-government flex level. “I truly do not assume NASA is at its greatest when it is doing what {industry} is doing, as a result of at that time, expertise would naturally in all probability gravitate to {industry} the place they get the benefit of, who is aware of, appreciating inventory choices and such.”
Isaacman’s listening to passed off alongside that of Steven Haines, who’s being thought-about for nomination because the assistant secretary of commerce for {industry} and evaluation. Committee chair Ted Cruz (R-Texas) has mentioned he’s hoping to open the vote for Isaacman’s affirmation on Monday (Dec. 8), placing Isaacman on monitor to doubtlessly take the reins completely for NASA earlier than Congress adjourns for the vacations.
Isaacman’s probabilities seem like fairly good. As famous above, he appeared set to be confirmed earlier than Trump withdrew his nomination again in Might. And that help appears to have persevered and even strengthened over the previous six months. For instance, as Isaacman famous in his written testimony for Wednesday’s listening to, Duffy has endorsed him, and 36 NASA astronauts have signed a letter backing his nomination.
