Jared Isaacman, a space pioneer and entrepreneur, has been nominated by Trump to lead NASA. Reports say that U.S. President-elect Donald Trump has nominated billionaire entrepreneur and private astronaut Jared Isaacman to serve as the next NASA administrator.
Isaacman, born in February 1983 in Union, New Jersey, founded the payment-processing company Shift4 Payments when he was 16 and amassed his fortune from it. According to reports, his nomination was announced on December 4, marking Trump’s first major space-related decision ahead of his incoming administration.
Extensive Spaceflight Experience Reportedly, his wealth has allowed him to participate actively in space exploration. In September 2021, he commanded Inspiration4, the world’s first all-civilian orbital space mission, launched aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket.
The mission orbited Earth for three days and aimed to raise funds for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. In September 2023, the Polaris Dawn mission followed, with the first private spacewalk and a set of records made, such as flying over the Earth’s poles, according to sources.
Reports state that with the nomination, Isaacman sends a message of how keen Trump is to align NASA’s goals with the goals of private space. According to his social media account, Isaacman noted, “Space has unparalleled potential for breakthroughs in manufacturing, biotechnology, mining, and pathways to new energy sources.” He pointed out the ultimate aim is to enable humanity to live and work in space.
