Astronaut and businessman linked to SpaceX, Jared Isaacman, nominated by US President Donald Trump to lead NASA, urged the Senate this Wednesday to confirm him for the position before the launch of Artemis 2, a manned mission to the Moon scheduled for early 2026.
Isaacman, linked to Elon Musk’s space company, appeared before a House of Representatives committee after Trump announced his nomination for the second time in November, after having withdrawn it last June due to a disagreement that the president had with the South African tycoon.
The nominee, the millionaire founder of the payments platform Shift4, said that, unlike his previous confirmation session, “on this occasion, the message is one of urgency.”
“After more than half a century, the United States is preparing to launch NASA astronauts to the Moon in just a few months. This is a challenging task, to say the least, requiring full-time leadership,” warned Isaacman, flanked by seven astronauts who attended the session to support his candidacy.
The NASA administrator candidate urged the committee to consider the “great competition” the United States finds itself in with China in the new space race to the Moon and Mars.
“This is not a time for delays, but for action, because if we fall behind, if we make a mistake, we may never catch up, and the consequences could change the balance of power here on Earth,” warned Isaacman, who insisted on the “urgency of the moment” and the need to support human space exploration.
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NASA nominee rejects close relationship with Musk
Democratic Senator Gary Peters recalled the reasons given by Trump for withdrawing Isaacman’s candidacy given his close relationship with Musk and SpaceX, one of NASA’s main contractors, and warned that, according to reports, Isaacman donated about two million dollars to Trump’s political action committee between the time of withdrawing his candidacy and the announcement of his second nomination.
In response, the pilot jokingly thanked the “extended vacation” that Trump gave him and rejected having a personal friendship with Musk.
“My relationship with Mr. Musk is based on the fact that I have led two space missions at SpaceX,” said the pilot, who had previously assured that he is not seeking the position “to obtain personal benefits, nor to favor or enrich contractors.”
Republican Senator Ted Cruz stated that it is “imperative” that the United States continue as the “undisputed leader in space exploration,” which is why he considered Isaacman’s expeditious confirmation necessary.
Isaacman was the commander of SpaceX’s Inspiration4 mission, the first completely civilian orbital flight, and his nomination marks a significant step in Trump’s strategy to integrate the private sector into American space exploration.
During this period, Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy serves as acting administrator of NASA.
With information from EFE
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