Jared Isaacman Confirmed to Head NASA at Pivotal Moment for the Space Agency

Jared Isaacman confirmed as head of NASA at a pivotal moment for space science

By Claire Cameron edited by Jeanna Bryner

NASA finally has a new boss. After a year of back-and-forth, the U.S. Senate on Wednesday confirmed Jared Isaacman, a tech billionaire who paid twice to go to space, to head the space agency.

His confirmation comes at a pivotal time for NASA, which is under increasing pressure from both budget cuts and technical hurdles that together could derail its most ambitious missions. On the chopping block are efforts to return Martian rock samples already collected to Earth for study and the possible delay of NASA’s attempt to send American astronauts back to the Moon before the end of the decade.

Isaacman, 42, was originally nominated to lead the agency in December 2024. President Donald Trump withdrew him from consideration in May due to apparent conflicts of interest — the tech entrepreneur had previously donated to Democratic lawmakers and partnered with disgraced former Trump adviser Elon Musk. But Trump reappointed Isaacman in November.

On supporting science journalism

If you enjoy this article, please consider supporting our award-winning journalism by subscription. By purchasing a subscription, you are helping to ensure the future of impactful stories about the discoveries and ideas shaping our world today.

Now that Isaacman has gotten the job, his attention will likely be focused on getting NASA back on track to send astronauts to the Moon in 2028. U.S. lawmakers repeatedly told him throughout his confirmation process that beating China to the Moon was the top priority; Beijing plans to land its astronauts on the lunar surface by 2030.

Space scientists and former astronauts said Scientific American that they hoped that Isaacman, having been to space twice himself and having participated in the first private spacewalk, would reinvigorate NASA after years of delays and setbacks in its Moon and Mars exploration program. Isaacman seems determined to light a fire in NASA’s efforts to stay ahead of China. What remains far less clear, however, is how he will fare in the face of the Trump administration’s push to slash the agency’s budget, space race or not.

It’s time to defend science

If you enjoyed this article, I would like to ask for your support. Scientific American has been defending science and industry for 180 years, and we are currently experiencing perhaps the most critical moment in these two centuries of history.

I was a Scientific American subscriber since the age of 12, and it helped shape the way I see the world. SciAm always educates and delights me, and inspires a sense of respect for our vast and magnificent universe. I hope this is the case for you too.

If you subscribe to Scientific Americanyou help ensure our coverage centers on meaningful research and discoveries; that we have the resources to account for decisions that threaten laboratories across the United States; and that we support budding and working scientists at a time when the value of science itself too often goes unrecognized.

In exchange, you receive essential information, captivating podcasts, brilliant infographics, newsletters not to be missed, unmissable videos, stimulating games and the best writings and reports from the scientific world. You can even offer a subscription to someone.

There has never been a more important time for us to stand up and show why science matters. I hope you will support us in this mission.