The Senate Commerce Committee will hold a long-anticipated confirmation hearing for President Donald Trump’s nominee to lead NASA Wednesday morning.
NASA Administrator nominee Jared Isaacman will appear before the committee at 9:00 a.m. Eastern, making the case for his leadership during a new era for the fabled agency.
Isaacman is expected to use his opening statement and testimony to express his commitment to furthering NASA’s mission to land on Mars as well as returning astronauts to the lunar surface – the latter a priority for Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX), chair of the committee whose state is home to the Johnson Space Center and a robust commercial space sector.
Cruz and Isaacman met the week before the hearing, after which Cruz tweeted that the nominee “committed to having American astronauts return to the lunar surface ASAP so we can develop the technologies needed to go on to Mars.”
“The moon mission MUST happen in President Trump’s term or else China will beat us there and build the first moonbase,” Cruz added. “Artemis and the Moon-to-Mars Program are critical for American leadership in space!”
Trump started the lunar program, now called Artemis, during his first year in office. But in his January inauguration address, he mentioned sending American astronauts to Mars but not the moon.
“We will pursue our manifest destiny into the stars, launching American astronauts to plant the Stars and Stripes on the planet Mars,” he said.
Isaacman would have his work cut out for him leading the agency, navigating bureaucratic and budgetary burdens as well as the politics of leading the agency. But as the administration nears its 100th day, NASA would unquestionably benefit from the confirmation of a new leader.
“I’m glad the Senate has scheduled a hearing to consider Jared Isaacman’s nomination as NASA administrator,” Acting Administrator Janet Petro told Breitbart News in a statement. “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. Upon confirmation, 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.”
Isaacman has a unique background for leading the agency. The 42-year-old billionaire spent his teenage years fixing credit card machines, starting his first business at 16 years old before founding Shift4 Payments, a successful payment processing company.
By 2011, Isaacman, a certified pilot, began chasing another passion – aviation and space exploration.
That year he founded Draken International, a company specializing in providing military-grade aircraft for training purposes.
Within a decade, he had traveled to space.
In 2021, he led and funded Inspiration4, the first all-civilian space mission aboard SpaceX’s Crew Dragon. He also launched the Polaris Program, a series of private space missions which included 2024’s Polaris Dawn, during which he accomplished the first commercial spacewalk by a civilian.
Bill Nelson, former President Joe Biden’s NASA administrator and former U.S. Senator until his defeat by Sen. Rick Scott (R-FL), often bragged about traveling to space while a member of Congress.
Isaacman’s two space flights double Nelson’s lone visit.
That record clearly impressed Trump.
When announcing Isaacman’s nomination in December, Trump praised him as “clearly an accomplished business leader, philanthropist, pilot, and astronaut” who “will drive NASA’s mission of discovery and inspiration, paving the way for groundbreaking achievements in Space science, technology, and exploration.”
Many others believe Isaacman is the man for the job.
Former Speaker Newt Gingrich and former Rep. Bob Walker wrote in February for Breitbart News that Isaacman is the “inspirational leader” NASA needs, whose nomination “represents a unique opportunity to combine the ingenuity of the private sector with the might of the federal government.”
“Given the golden age of American innovation that President Trump intends to build, NASA needs a leader with the vision and experience necessary to think beyond old models and drive the agency to new heights,” they said. “That leader is Jared Isaacman.”
In addition to his business success, Isaacman holds multiple aviation world records, including for fastest flight around the world in a light jet.
Isaacman’s confirmation hearing can be watched online here.
Bradley Jaye is Deputy Political Editor for Breitbart News. Follow him on X/Twitter and Instagram @BradleyAJaye.
