The Senate on Wednesday confirmed billionaire entrepreneur Jared Isaacman as the new head of NASA, marking the end of a dramatic saga that began more than a year ago.
Isaacman was first nominated to lead NASA in December 2024 by then-President-elect Donald Trump, but Trump abruptly withdrew his nomination five months later after a “thorough review of prior associations.”
In an unusual turn of events, Trump renominated Isaacman in Novembersaying his experience and passion for space “make him ideally suited to lead NASA into a bold new era.”
The leadership change comes at a critical time for NASA as questions remain about the space agency's future budget and priorities. Like other government agencies, NASA is still facing deep funding and personnel cuts as part of the Trump administration's efforts to reduce the size of the federal workforce.
The final vote to approve was 67-30.
The Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee approved Isaacman's nomination after a Dec. 3 hearing in which he spoke about the need to return NASA astronauts to the moon before China reaches the lunar surface.
Sen. Ted Cruz, the Texas Republican who chairs the committee, said he wants Isaacman confirmed before the end of the year.
Isaacman, 42, is the founder and CEO of payment processing company Shift4, but has never worked for NASA or the federal government. He will take over control of the space agency from Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, who has served as NASA's interim administrator since July.
During a Senate committee hearing, Isaacman said he was focused on returning to the moon and winning the new space race with China. Both countries want to establish a long-term human presence on the lunar surface, but NASA's Artemis program faces multiple delays and cost overruns. Meanwhile, China's space program has grown at a breakneck pace in recent years.
NASA aims to send four astronauts on a mission around the moon next year to conduct crucial tests of its next-generation rocket and spacecraft. If successful, the space agency said it would attempt to land a crew near the moon's south pole in 2027. China has said it plans to land its own astronauts on the lunar surface by 2030.
Beyond NASA's lunar ambitions, the space agency faces uncertainty about its funding and goals. Earlier this year, Trump's budget proposal proposed cutting NASA funding by more than $6 billion, or about 24%, but the proposals faced strong opposition in the House and Senate.
Isaacman's confirmation hearings came under scrutiny for leaked documents known as “Project Athena” that outlined his vision for NASA. 62 page outline first obtained by Politicoproposed prioritizing missions to Mars with a focus on nuclear-electric propulsion, overhauling some NASA centers and making significant changes to the space agency's science operations, including a greater emphasis on commercialization.
Isaacman said during the hearing that Project Athena was a “draft document” but stood by its contents, adding that “everything in it is correct.”
The confirmation process also raised questions about Isaacman's ties to Elon Musk. Isaacman has flown into space twice on commercial SpaceX missions, funding the flights himself for an undisclosed amount. Musk, the founder and CEO of SpaceX, was once a close Trump ally and supported Isaacman when he was first nominated.
The president's decision to withdraw Isaacman's nomination coincided with a public feud between Trump and Musk. At his confirmation hearing, Isaacman was questioned about his connection to Musk, including how his own business dealings are intertwined with SpaceX.
Isaacman downplayed the significance of the association, saying his spaceflights were associated with SpaceX because it is “the only organization that can send astronauts to and from space.”
“There are no photos of us at dinner, in a bar, on a plane or on a yacht, because they don’t exist,” Isaacman added.
