Entrepreneur who donated $15 million to Space Camp confirmed as NASA chief

A businessman who led the world’s first all-civilian space mission to orbit the earth will now lead NASA’s effort to return to the Moon and beyond.

The U.S. Senate confirmed Jared Isaacman as NASA’s new chief on Wednesday. He was initially nominated by President Donald Trump for the post, had his nomination pulled, but then saw the nomination reinstated.

Isaacman has ties to Huntsville, citing his time as a camper at the U.S. Space and Rocket Center’s Space Camp during his confirmation hearing earlier this month.

Isaacman also donated $15 million to the U.S. Space & Rocket Center earlier this year for the Inspiration4 Skills Training Complex, currently under construction, and seed money for a fourth dormitory for Space Camp students.

In 2022, he made a $10 million donation to begin the Inspiration4 project, which is named for the world’s first all-civilian mission to orbit he led. The Inspiration4 three-day mission flew in September 2021.

In his opening remarks during his confirmation hearing, he also acknowledged Huntsville as the home of Marshall Space Flight Center.

During confirmation hearings earlier this month, Isaacman, affirmed his commitment to the budget passed by Congress and the Artemis program, in which Marshall plays an important role.

“America will return to the moon before our great rival,” he said. “And we will establish an enduring presence to understand and realize the scientific, economic and nation security value on the lunar surface. Along the way we will pioneer the next giant leap in capabilities to extend America’s reach even further into space.”

Elon Musk’s SpaceX won the crew lunar lander contract with Starship, but the mega rocket remains in flight testing. Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin is working on its Blue Moon landers. It is preparing to launch a prototype next year.

Isaacman said during the hearing that NASA will go with the first company capable of delivering U.S. astronauts to the lunar surface.

“The best thing for SpaceX is a Blue Origin right on their heels, and vice versa,” he said.

Isaacman also pledged support for the International Space Station, which is scheduled to be decommissioned in 2030. Marshall plays a key role in payload missions on the station. NASA is expected to transition to commercial space stations after the ISS is deorbited.

Isaacman pledged there would be no gaps in the transition with the country’s presence in low Earth orbit.

He also pledged support for other space missions.