US President-elect Donald Trump has chosen billionaire Jared Isaacs, who piloted two SpaceX commercial space flights, as the next administrator of NASA. On December 4, Trump announced in a post on his social network Truth Social that he had chosen Isaacman as the next administrator of NASA. Once official, the appointment will require Senate approval.

“Jared will lead NASA’s mission of discovery and inspiration, paving the way for groundbreaking advances in space science, technology and discovery,” Trump wrote. “Jared’s passion for space, his experience as an astronaut, and his commitment to pushing the boundaries of exploration, unlocking the mysteries of the universe, and developing a new space economy make him the ideal candidate to lead NASA into a bold new era.”

“I am honored to be nominated by President Trump @realDonaldTrump to be the next administrator of NASA,” Isaacman said in a post on X.

Isaacman, founder and CEO of payment services company Shift4, is known in space circles as the commander and sponsor of two special SpaceX Crew Dragon astronaut missions: Inspiration4 in September 2021 and Polaris Dawn in September 2024. The first was the first private mission aboard Crew Dragon, and the second broke several records, including the highest crewed altitude mission and the first private spacewalk since Apollo 17 in 1972.

Isaacman had previously had no interest in politics, and his name had not been widely circulated as a potential candidate to head the space agency. In his post, X said NASA would “passionately pursue” new opportunities that he said the new commercial space age could bring.

“I can safely say that the second space age has just begun. Space has the potential to deliver unprecedented breakthroughs in manufacturing, biotechnology, mining, and perhaps even pathways to new energy sources,” he wrote. “A thriving space economy will inevitably create opportunities for countless people to live and work in space.” “At NASA, we will passionately explore these possibilities and usher in an era in which humanity will become a true space civilization.”

Both Isaakman’s selection and the timing of the announcement surprised many. Recent administrations have chosen their nominees to lead NASA just weeks or months after taking office. For example, the first Trump administration appointed Jim Bridenstine to the helm just seven months after Trump took office.

The new administration also has not established a transition team for NASA. NASA Deputy Administrator Jim Freeh said in comments following the opening speech at the Cislunar Security Conference on December 4, hours before Trump’s announcement, that the Trump Agency’s review team (a group of staff supporting the new administration to review NASA operations) had not yet arrived. he said. . The names of the people in the agency have been released, but he added that the agency expects to know who is on that team at least by the end of the week.

The new Trump administration is expected to review NASA’s research programs, including the Space Launch System and use of Orion for the Artemis lunar exploration campaign. SpaceX’s CEO Elon Musk will advise Trump after the election.

Isaacman’s selection drew immediate support from a former agency official. “Congratulations – you will be amazing!” Laurie Garver, who served as NASA’s deputy administrator during the Obama administration, shared a post in response to Isaacman’s statement.

Dave Cavossa, president of the Commercial Space Federation, also praised Isaacman’s selection. “CSF is delighted to hear that commercial space colleague and friend Jared Isaacs has been nominated for the post of NASA administrator,” he told SpaceNews. “At this critical time when NASA and commercial space have become inextricably linked to the success of our nation’s space program and our continued global leadership in space, I cannot think of a better candidate for this role.”