Trump Chooses First Private Astronaut Jared Isaacman as NASA Head

Billionaire tech entrepreneur says Americans will walk on the moon and Mars.

Thursday, December 05, 2024 at 04:25 PM ET

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Polaris Dawn crewmembers (from left) Anna Menon, Sarah Gillis, and Jared Isaacman speak on a panel during the 2024 UP.Summit in Bentonville, Arkansas. [Courtesy: UP.Summit/ file photo]

Key Takeaways:

President-elect Donald Trump has nominated private astronaut and billionaire tech entrepreneur Jared Isaacman as the administrator of NASA.
Isaacman is recognized for being the first nonprofessional astronaut to perform a private spacewalk and for founding successful financial technology and defense aerospace companies.
Trump cited Isaacman's exceptional leadership and entrepreneurial background, while Isaacman stated his aim for NASA is to lead a "second space age" with a focus on human exploration of the Moon and Mars.

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President-elect Donald Trump has picked private astronaut and billionaire tech entrepreneur Jared Isaacman as the administrator of NASA.

Trump confirmed the nomination on Wednesday in a post on X.

Caleb Revill

Caleb Revill is a journalist, writer and lifelong learner working as a Junior Writer for Firecrown. When he isn't tackling breaking news, Caleb is on the lookout for fascinating feature stories.