It used to be that once your star fell into Donald Trump's orbit, it was destined to never rise again. This can be evidenced by any number of former allies who have been abandoned since Trump's first term.
The one who has came out of a political black hole Billionaire private astronaut Jared Isaacman will return to the presidential horizon and tell senators on Wednesday – for the second time – why he is the best person to lead the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.NASA).
Isaacman's return to the launch pad is an intriguing tale of politics, ambition and, above all, the vanity of a president determined to ensure that the US flag is planted once again on the lunar surface before he leaves office in January 2029.
This is also a victory for Elon Muskfounder of SpaceX, who openly defended his friend and can now benefit from plans to outsource to commercial space operators more than what has traditionally been NASA's core product of manned and scientific discovery.
Isaacman, meanwhile, has downplayed his friendship with Musk, and there is no suggestion that his reappointment is related specifically to his vision of developing private enterprise in space. But his financial ties to SpaceX are exposed to the government financial disclosure reportattracted control by congressional Democratslike buying it Inspiration4 And Polar Dawn missions aboard SpaceX ships, which are essentially space tourism flights, despite some worthy mission goals.
Things looked completely different in May. Trump's first presidential nomination space adventure innovator collapsed when the White House discovered that Isaacman had committed the greatest sin by making previous donations to Democratic politicians. Among them was former astronaut and Arizona Senator Mark Kelly, now under the gun of the administration due to comments urging military personnel to disobey illegal orders.
IN True Social Post Trump said at the time that he had conducted a “thorough review of previous relationships” and concluded that Isaacman was “not fit for mission.” And yet many including Isaacman he himself considered his dismissal a direct consequence of Trump’s decision feud with Musk.
President reverse course earlier this month amid escalating power struggle between Acting NASA Administrator Sean Duffy and Isaacman's lobbyists and supporters, including Musk, over the future direction of the space agency.
Making a decision to resolve what was described as ““Game of Thrones” lasts several weeksTrump rejected an ambitious plan by Duffy – who is also the US transportation secretary – to seize the job permanently and reach the agency into your own transport portfolio.
In October, Duffy announced that NASA re-advertising a contract already won by SpaceX build a human lander system (HLS) that will take American astronauts to the Moon for the first time since 1972.
Some analysts saw the move as an attempt to appease Trump. Duffy said SpaceX was spending too much time developing a critical component of the Artemis III mission, which is already scheduled to launch no earlier than mid-2027. Offers from other companies such as Jeff Bezos rising Blue Originwould create competition and speed up deadlines.
The move, however, angered many in the White Houseand seems to have backfired spectacularly. Musk launched a fierce defense of SpaceX. posting a rant calling the acting administrator “Sean Dummy,” accusing him of trying to “kill NASA” and insisting his company was moving at “lightning speed” compared to the rest of the space industry.
Isaacman, on the other hand, in several reported meetings with Trump, called for continuing work with Artemis and HLS full steam ahead and without deviation. Once Trump's “flag on the moon” moment is secured, NASA will move to retire its own over-budget and much-delayed Space Launch System (SLS)—the expendable rocket and Orion capsule that shaped the Artemis missions—and instead leave future missions to the Moon and Mars in the hands of SpaceX and make it entirely reusable. Starship.
Some of Trump's listeners, such as far-right influencer Laura Loomer, spoke loudly as for Isaacman, noting that he has also made significant donations to Republican causes, including Trump's inaugural committee.
Meanwhile, space policy experts believe the reasons and consequences of Isaacman's renomination are more complex than simply focusing on returning to the Moon.
His first Senate hearing in April before the Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee preceded Trump administration proposals to empty NASA's budget and cut science funding to what the Planetary Society called “extinction level event“
At the hearing after which the committee voted 19-9 to advance his nomination to the full Senate, he insisted that science was his top priority, spoke passionately about a “golden age of science and discovery” and touted NASA's work:several flagship science missions straightaway”.
“A lot has changed since April,” said Marcia Smith, the magazine’s founder and editor. spacepolicyonline.com.
“When he testified the first time, he didn't know what the budget request was going to be and he talked about how he didn't really have detailed knowledge of what was going on in the country. NASA because he wasn't at NASA. He spoke as an outsider about doing science, the Moon, Mars, and all other things at the same time.
“Now the tide has turned: We have a better understanding of where the administration falls in terms of the level of support for NASA.”
Trump suggested cutting NASA's annual budget by 24% to $18.8 billion, the lowest level in a decade, with space and earth science missions bearing the brunt of the cuts. Trump appears to be fully focused on his “moon moment,” and Isaacman said he will deliver. don't give up plans to let him have it.
“America's drumbeat to get back to the moon before China gets there has been getting louder and louder since April,” Smith said.
“And that's a really different mode of operation. If your only goal is to get there before China, then maybe you're going to rethink your whole plan for Artemis and focus less on sustainable lunar exploration or at least making sure the first Artemis landing is part of a sustainable program.”
Isaacman is certain to face questions at his committee hearing Wednesday about Project Athena, a confidential 62-page memo detailing his plans to radically overhaul NASA's structure and operations, written for Duffy and leaked to Politico earlier this month at the height of the rivalry between the two.
It contained his proposal for a large-scale transfer of NASA missions to commercial operators and other ways to cut government spending.
“The plan never favored any one provider, never recommended closing centers, or mandated the cancellation of programs before goals were achieved,” Isaacman wrote in his report. publish on X condemning those who leaked it.
“The more I see the imperfections of policy and the lengths people are willing to go to, the more I want to serve and be part of the solution… because I love NASA and I love my country.”
