Legal Insurrection readers may recall September’s “Polaris Dawn” historic space mission.
This mission included several history-making moments. The Polaris Dawn’s private crew of astronauts performed the world’s first commercial spacewalk during the third day of a five-day trip to Earth orbit. The team also crew tested an advanced extravehicular spacesuit, potentially a prototype for future interplanetary travel.
This mission was headed and financed by billionaire entrepreneur Jared Isaacman, who performed the space walk.
President-elect Donald Trump has tapped Isaacman to head the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).
Mr. Isaacman, the chief executive of the payment processing company Shift4 Payments, is a close associate of Elon Musk, the founder of SpaceX, and, if confirmed to the post by the Senate, would bring the perspective of an outsider to the space agency and its $25 billion budget.“Jared will drive NASA’s mission of discovery and inspiration, paving the way for groundbreaking achievements in Space science, technology, and exploration,” Mr. Trump said in a post on his Truth Social platform.One of the key issues for the next NASA administrator is how to get NASA’s centerpiece Artemis program back on track to send NASA astronauts to the moon. The first landing of astronauts is to occur during the Artemis III mission, currently scheduled for late 2026. However, key components needed to accomplish that, including the lunar lander being developed by SpaceX, appear to be behind schedule.
Space exploration enthusiasts are excited about the choice.
Isaacman plans to get the US back into the space race in his capacity at NASA.
“I was born after the Moon landings; my children were born after the final space shuttle launch,” Isaacman said in his statement, adding: “I can promise you this: We will never again lose our ability to journey to the stars and never settle for second place … Americans will walk on the Moon and Mars and in doing so, we will make life better here on Earth.”Trump’s selection of a relative outsider to lead NASA — along with Musk’s involvement with the incoming administration — may signal a move toward increased commercialization of NASA’s operations. Already, the space agency relies heavily on SpaceX and other commercial partners to launch its astronauts, cargo and spacecraft to the International Space Station and beyond.
Isaacman is a classic American success story. He dropped out of high school at 16, obtained his GED, and started his first business in his parents’ basement. This morphed into the billion-dollar business, Shift4 Payments, that the media relentlessly focuses on.
Isaacman’s passion for aviation began in 2004 when he started taking flying lessons. He earned a bachelor’s degree in professional aeronautics from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in 2011 and has gone on to set a world record for circumnavigating the globe in a light jet in 2009. He has also performed in over 100 airshows with the Black Diamond Jet Team and co-founded Draken International, the world’s largest private air force (which provides specialized tactical aircraft services to military and defense organizations worldwide).
Isaacman’s space experiences have been groundbreaking, combining civilian leadership with cutting-edge space exploration and technology testing. He is the perfect choice to head the agency.
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