Jared Isaacman has finally received his call to be interviewed by the Senate for his new job as NASA Administrator, much more delayed than we originally thought. This will kick off the intense process before Isaacman can officially begin managing the agency.
Jared Isaacman, founder of payment processing company Shift4 and benefactor/commander of the Inspiration4 and Polaris Dawn missions to space, will go before the Senate’s Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation on Wednesday. This specific committee is the one that oversees agencies like the Department of Commerce, NASA, and the FAA.
The hearing will allow the Senators who sit on the committee, chaired by Texas Senator Ted Cruz, to question Isaacman’s ability to do the job as NASA Administrator and clear up any potential conflicts of interest.
Once the committee is done with its interview and debate, it will vote on its recommendation to the full Senate for formal confirmation. Usually, a pass in committee will lead to a pass in the Senate.
You’ll be able to watch Isaacman’s hearing on the committee’s YouTube channel.
Isaacman has received support from a long list of former NASA astronauts, Trump’s previous NASA Administrator, and the community at large. While there are still some concerns that he’ll have the skills needed to lobby Congress to make the necessary changes to the agency, his understanding of the commercial space market is without doubt.
Isaacman was nominated for the position of NASA Administrator in one of many day-one actions by President Trump, leading to hope for a speedy confirmation. However, delays in getting Isaacman ready for hearings, likely due to his complex financial dealings (Shift4 owns shares of SpaceX), have led to a more normal, late 100-day confirmation.
Isaacman has not held back his opinions over the years regarding inefficiencies in NASA’s contracting process. He has been against the continued use of Boeing’s Space Launch System in the Artemis Program, preferring to utilize SpaceX’s Starship for the job. Isaacman was also upset with NASA’s refusal to accept his offer to service the Hubble Space Telescope on a future Polaris mission for free.
It’s unknown what side Isaacman will take in the current debate of returning to the Moon or going straight for Mars. Elon Musk, SpaceX CEO and close aide to the President, has been successful at getting President Trump publicly onboard with the mission to send Americans to Mars, but whether or not it’s feasible politically will be decided with Isaacman.
