US President-elect Donald Trump has announced his intent to nominate entrepreneur Jared Isaacman as the next administrator of NASA. The space community is welcoming the news, with figures across the political spectrum praising Isaacman’s nomination.
Isaacman, 41, brings a unique combination of entrepreneurial experience and knowledge of working with NASA and SpaceX to the role. He founded payment processing company Shift4, which became a major player in online payments, and has also trained US Air Force pilots through his company Draken International.
A self-proclaimed space enthusiast, Isaacman has flown on several commercial missions, including the Inspiration4 mission, where he carried out an all-civilian flight into space. The mission raised hundreds of millions of dollars for childhood cancer research and marked a significant milestone in space tourism.
Isaacman’s nomination is seen as a positive move by those in the space community, with many hailing his appointment as “terrific,” “ideal,” or “inspiring.” His youth and fresh perspective are expected to bring new energy to NASA as it enters a new era of increased cooperation with commercial spaceflight.
Source: https://arstechnica.com/space/2024/12/how-did-the-ceo-of-an-online-payments-firm-become-the-nominee-to-lead-nasa