Billionaire Jared Isaacman is set to appear Wednesday morning to field questions from Congress before he could become the next NASA administrator.
SpaceX Polaris Dawn astronauts perform first commercial spacewalk
Billionaire Jared Issacman and SpaceX employee Sarah Gillis exited the aircraft and performed suit mobility checks.
- Isaacman has been to space twice, both times on private missions he helped to finance.
- That includes Inspiration4, the world’s first all-civilian extended spaceflight, and last September’s Polaris Dawn, which included a pioneering spacewalk.
- Isaacman is set to appear at 10 a.m. EDT Wednesday for a hearing before the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
A billionaire named Jared Isaacman is poised to become the next head of NASA, where he would oversee a space agency on the cusp of pivotal crewed missions in the years ahead to the moon and Mars.
If his name sounds familiar, it’s because less than seven months ago, Isaacman led a crew of commercial astronauts on a trailblazing mission to space known as Polaris Dawn. For five days in September, the historic spaceflight drew headlines as the non-professional astronauts reached record orbital heights on a SpaceX vehicle and completed a pioneering spacewalk.
The mission etched Isaacman and his crew members’ names in the history books, and may have even helped put him on the radar of President Donald Trump. In December, Trump, then the president-elect, officially nominated Isaacman to become NASA’s next administrator – a significant move that would put a private spacefarer at the head of one of the world’s largest government space agencies.
Now, Isaacman is set to appear Wednesday morning to field questions from Congress during a Senate nomination hearing.
“Isaacman’s experience in commercial spaceflight and his commitment to advancing space capabilities align with NASA’s ongoing efforts to enhance America’s position as the global leader in space exploration,” acting NASA Administrator Janet Petro said in a statement ahead of the hearing. “His leadership will support our work to drive American innovation, strengthen partnerships, and further the essential mission of the agency for the benefit of all.”
Here’s what to know about Isaacman and the two spaceflight missions he’s bankrolled and led since 2021.
Who is Jared Isaacman? What to know about Trump’s pick to head NASA
Isaacman, 42, famously dropped out of school at 16 to start his internet payment processing company Shift4 Payments, which is how he amassed his fortune.
With more than 7,000 flight hours of aviation experience, Isaacman is also an aviation enthusiast qualified to fly military fighter jets.
Trump announced Isaacman’s nomination in a December post on Truth Social, saying, “Jared will drive NASA’s mission of discovery and inspiration, paving the way for groundbreaking achievements in Space science, technology, and exploration.”
If confirmed, Isaacman would succeed Bill Nelson, former President Joe Biden’s pick for NASA administrator and a former astronaut and Democratic U.S. senator from Florida.
In a December post on social media site X following Trump’s announcement, Isaacman said he was “honored.”
“Having been fortunate to see our amazing planet from space, I am passionate about America leading the most incredible adventure in human history,” Isaacman said in the post. “I can confidently say this second space age has only just begun … There will inevitably be a thriving space economy – one that will create opportunities for countless people to live and work in space.”
Isaacman first flew to space on Inspiration4
Isaacman’s first jaunt to space came in 2021, when he was commander of a first-of-its-kind mission known as Inspiration4.
By that time, space tourists had already begun taking short trips to the edge of space with companies like Virgin Galactic and Blue Origin. But Inspiration4 became known as the world’s first all-civilian extended mission to space, with Isaacman, who funded the spaceflight, and three others spending three days living in orbit and conducting research.
Isaacman participates in spacewalk during Polaris Dawn mission
Isaacman then returned to space in September with an all-civilian crew of amateur spacefarers on a mission he jointly funded with Elon Musk’s SpaceX.
The Polaris Dawn mission got off the ground on Sept. 10 with the help of a Falcon 9 rocket, which propelled the crew to orbit on a SpaceX Dragon capsule from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The crew also included pilot Scott “Kidd” Poteet and mission specialists Sarah Gillis and Anna Menon.
Shortly after liftoff, the vehicle ascended to 870 miles above Earth’s surface – taking the crew to a height higher than any crewed vehicle has traveled since NASA’s Apollo era ended in the 1970s.
Once the Dragon eventually descended to a cruising altitude of 435 miles above Earth, the crew members conducted a historic spacewalk two days into the mission. Both Isaacman and Gillis exited the Dragon capsule separately for about 10 minutes each to take in the endless black expanse of outer space while tethered and holding onto handrails.
“Back at home we all have a lot of work to do, but from here Earth sure looks like a perfect world,” Isaacman said as he emerged from the hatch.
Because the Dragon did not have an airlock, the entire cabin was depressurized, and all four astronauts were suited up in the EVA suits to receive oxygen through tethers. For that reason, all four were exposed to the vacuum of space – becoming the first non-government astronauts to accomplish the feat.
But the milestones they reached weren’t just for bragging rights: The Polaris Dawn crew tested technology and spacecraft capabilities that could help to set the stage for future deep space exploration, much of which will increasingly rely on private companies like SpaceX.
How to watch Isaacman’s Senate confirmation hearing
Isaacman is set to appear at 10 a.m. EDT Wednesday for a hearing before the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
Sen. Ted Cruz, a Republican from Texas, who chairs the committee, will lead the hearing.
The hearing will be available to livestream through both the Senate committee’s website and NASA’s streaming service, NASA+.
Contributing: Rick Neale, Florida Today
Eric Lagatta covers breaking and trending news for USA TODAY. Reach him at [email protected]