Donald Trump names Jared Isaacman, a billionaire and private astronaut, patron of NASA

For the position of head of NASA, Donald Trump chose billionaire Jared Isaacman, the first private astronaut to have carried out a spacewalk. The American president-elect said on Wednesday, December 4, « ravi » to name “an accomplished business leader, philanthropist, pilot and astronaut, serving as Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)”on his Truth Social network.

“Jared will be the driving force behind NASA's mission of discovery and inspiration, paving the way for groundbreaking achievements in science, technology and space exploration”added the Republican, who will take office on January 20. This choice could potentially pose a conflict of interest, given the relationship between the head of the financial company Shift4 and Elon Musk, boss of SpaceX and future member of Donald Trump's administration, of whom he is a fervent defender.

First private spacewalk in history

Jared Isaacman, 41, has become one of the leading figures in commercial spaceflight due to his collaborations with SpaceX. Originally from Pennsylvania, Mr. Isaacman started the company that became Shift4 Payments in his family's basement when he was 16 years old. A seasoned aviator, he is qualified to fly military aircraft, has participated in air shows and set a world record for a round-the-world flight.

“There will inevitably be a thriving space economy – one that will create the opportunity for countless people to live and work in space. At NASA, we will passionately explore these possibilities”reacted Mr. Isaacman in a post. In September, Jared Isaacman carried out the first private spacewalk in history. This excursion was part of the “Polaris” program, a collaboration between the new prospective leader of NASA and SpaceX, which is to include three missions in total. The financial terms of this partnership remain confidential, but Jared Isaacman is said to have invested $200 million of his personal fortune to lead SpaceX’s “Inspiration4” orbital mission, entirely civilian, in 2021.