With a $25 billion budget, NASA is currently focusing on returning to the moon as part of the Artemis program, which was initiated during Trump's first term. The man who is very likely to lead this effort is Jared Isaacman, a business associate of Elon Musk. However, he needs to get the Senate's vote in order to be sworn in. According to a social media post by Trump,
"Jared will drive NASA's mission of discovery and inspiration, paving the way for groundbreaking achievements in space science, technology, and exploration."
Isaacman is the CEO of payment processing company Shift4 Payments and, earlier this year, has become the first private citizen to perform a spacewalk. While Bill Nelson, NASA's current administrator, served as a payload specialist on mission STS-61-C aboard the Space Shuttle Columbia, thus becoming the second sitting member of the United States Congress to fly in space, Isaacman was involved in two private space missions. With an estimated net worth of almost $2 billion, he also founded Draken International, a company that operates the largest private fleet of former military tactical jet aircraft.
NASA might get much more under Isaacman's leadership than just a new mission on the moon. He hopes to unlock the potential for manufacturing, biotech, mining, and even new sources of energy in the coming years. This nomination marks another success for Musk, who would be working closer with Isaacman, as the Artemis program and other various projects would rely heavily on SpaceX hardware.
Those interested in finding out more about SpaceX, the private company that NASA relies on for multiple projects, can now grab Brad Bergan's SpaceX: Elon Musk and the Final Frontier for $22.60 instead of $40 (a generous 44% discount) in hardcover format. The Kindle edition is discounted by 50%, from $40 to $19.99. Additionally, the audiobook can be acquired for $0.99 with an Audible membership.
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