Isaacman finally confirmed as NASA boss after Trump derailed first attempt
(2025/12/18)
- Reference: 1766063969
- News link: https://www.theregister.co.uk/2025/12/18/isaacman_given_nod_as_nasa/
- Source link:
NASA has a new administrator. Billionaire and space tourist Jared Isaacman was confirmed by the US Senate by a vote of 67 to 30.
Isaacman's path to the role was turbulent. Nominated by President Donald Trump in January, the [1]nomination was abruptly cancelled in May after [2]Trump fell out with Elon Musk - Isaacman was a SpaceX customer - and [3]reinstated in November .
He inherits a troubled agency still reeling from a year of [4]budget chaos that threatened major programs, though advocacy and congressional action helped save or restore funding for many missions that looked set for the axe.
[5]
Observers have welcomed Isaacman's arrival. In a [6]statement , the Planetary Society said: "After nearly a year of historic disruptions to the agency's workforce, facilities, and budget, Mr Isaacman has the opportunity to stabilize and reinvigorate the US space program.
[7]
[8]
"Congress is on a path to provide Mr Isaacman with a restored budget that better funds national priorities: returning humans to the Moon, maintaining US leadership in space science and exploration, and training the next generation of scientists and aerospace engineers."
Over the last year, NASA has dealt with [9]rounds of layoffs and resignations, resulting in a considerably reduced workforce and continued uncertainty over what role, if any, its centers around the US would play.
[10]
With Isaacman confirmed as NASA's 15th Administrator, all eyes are on the first moves he makes. A leaked paper he authored, Project Athena, proposed changes for the agency, including a move to "science-as-a-service" by paying commercial vendors for data and increasing private industry involvement. Isaacman has subsequently [11]called the May document "dated".
[12]NASA tries savin' MAVEN as Mars probe loses contact with Earth
[13]NASA nominee 'committed' to uprooting Shuttle Discovery for Houston trophy piece
[14]Baikonur's only crew-capable pad busted after Soyuz flight
[15]SpaceX loses debut V3 Super Heavy in ground test mishap
[16]SpaceX's Starship: Two down, Mons Huygens to climb
His SpaceX connections raise questions: he flew to orbit twice as a paying SpaceX customer, and Musk recommended him before the rift with Trump. Though Isaacman insists his plan "never favored any one vendor," the optics are notable.
Critical challenges loom for the NASA Administrator. The next Artemis mission (a crewed free-return flight around the Moon) is due to launch as early as February. However meeting NASA's goal of [17]landing humans on the Moon before China requires difficult decisions. SpaceX's [18]Starship is behind schedule , and acting Administrator Sean Duffy's move to [19]reopen the landing contract has yielded few viable alternatives.
As one space industry put it to El Reg : "At last there is a NASA leader, but now we face the question of what direction will he take the space program." ®
Get our [20]Tech Resources
[1] https://www.theregister.com/2025/06/06/how_nasa_might_have_looked/
[2] https://www.theregister.com/2025/06/06/musk_trump_feud/
[3] https://www.theregister.com/2025/11/05/jared_isaacman_nasa_administrator_again/
[4] https://www.theregister.com/2025/03/11/nasa_science_budget_comment/
[5] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_offbeat/science&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=2&c=2aUQzK07lnxrSRDd2pRnMXwAAAA4&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D2%26raptor%3Dcondor%26pos%3Dtop%26test%3D0
[6] https://www.planetary.org/press-releases/the-planetary-societys-statement-on-senate-confirming-jared-isaacman-as-nasa-administrator
[7] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_offbeat/science&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=4&c=44aUQzK07lnxrSRDd2pRnMXwAAAA4&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D4%26raptor%3Dfalcon%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[8] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_offbeat/science&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=3&c=33aUQzK07lnxrSRDd2pRnMXwAAAA4&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D3%26raptor%3Deagle%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[9] https://www.theregister.com/2025/10/14/more_jpl_employees_set_to/
[10] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_offbeat/science&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=4&c=44aUQzK07lnxrSRDd2pRnMXwAAAA4&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D4%26raptor%3Dfalcon%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[11] https://x.com/rookisaacman/status/1985796145017471442
[12] https://www.theregister.com/2025/12/17/nasa_maven_mars_probe_loses_contact/
[13] https://www.theregister.com/2025/12/02/isaacman_discovery_relocation/
[14] https://www.theregister.com/2025/11/28/launchpad_damaged_soyuz/
[15] https://www.theregister.com/2025/11/21/spacex_super_heavy_mishap/
[16] https://www.theregister.com/2025/10/16/spacexs_starship_two_down_a/
[17] https://www.theregister.com/2025/09/22/nasa_starship_artemis_doubts/
[18] https://www.theregister.com/2025/10/31/spacex_shows_off_lunar_starship/
[19] https://www.theregister.com/2025/10/21/spacex_is_behind_schedule_so/
[20] https://whitepapers.theregister.com/
Isaacman's path to the role was turbulent. Nominated by President Donald Trump in January, the [1]nomination was abruptly cancelled in May after [2]Trump fell out with Elon Musk - Isaacman was a SpaceX customer - and [3]reinstated in November .
He inherits a troubled agency still reeling from a year of [4]budget chaos that threatened major programs, though advocacy and congressional action helped save or restore funding for many missions that looked set for the axe.
[5]
Observers have welcomed Isaacman's arrival. In a [6]statement , the Planetary Society said: "After nearly a year of historic disruptions to the agency's workforce, facilities, and budget, Mr Isaacman has the opportunity to stabilize and reinvigorate the US space program.
[7]
[8]
"Congress is on a path to provide Mr Isaacman with a restored budget that better funds national priorities: returning humans to the Moon, maintaining US leadership in space science and exploration, and training the next generation of scientists and aerospace engineers."
Over the last year, NASA has dealt with [9]rounds of layoffs and resignations, resulting in a considerably reduced workforce and continued uncertainty over what role, if any, its centers around the US would play.
[10]
With Isaacman confirmed as NASA's 15th Administrator, all eyes are on the first moves he makes. A leaked paper he authored, Project Athena, proposed changes for the agency, including a move to "science-as-a-service" by paying commercial vendors for data and increasing private industry involvement. Isaacman has subsequently [11]called the May document "dated".
[12]NASA tries savin' MAVEN as Mars probe loses contact with Earth
[13]NASA nominee 'committed' to uprooting Shuttle Discovery for Houston trophy piece
[14]Baikonur's only crew-capable pad busted after Soyuz flight
[15]SpaceX loses debut V3 Super Heavy in ground test mishap
[16]SpaceX's Starship: Two down, Mons Huygens to climb
His SpaceX connections raise questions: he flew to orbit twice as a paying SpaceX customer, and Musk recommended him before the rift with Trump. Though Isaacman insists his plan "never favored any one vendor," the optics are notable.
Critical challenges loom for the NASA Administrator. The next Artemis mission (a crewed free-return flight around the Moon) is due to launch as early as February. However meeting NASA's goal of [17]landing humans on the Moon before China requires difficult decisions. SpaceX's [18]Starship is behind schedule , and acting Administrator Sean Duffy's move to [19]reopen the landing contract has yielded few viable alternatives.
As one space industry put it to El Reg : "At last there is a NASA leader, but now we face the question of what direction will he take the space program." ®
Get our [20]Tech Resources
[1] https://www.theregister.com/2025/06/06/how_nasa_might_have_looked/
[2] https://www.theregister.com/2025/06/06/musk_trump_feud/
[3] https://www.theregister.com/2025/11/05/jared_isaacman_nasa_administrator_again/
[4] https://www.theregister.com/2025/03/11/nasa_science_budget_comment/
[5] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_offbeat/science&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=2&c=2aUQzK07lnxrSRDd2pRnMXwAAAA4&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D2%26raptor%3Dcondor%26pos%3Dtop%26test%3D0
[6] https://www.planetary.org/press-releases/the-planetary-societys-statement-on-senate-confirming-jared-isaacman-as-nasa-administrator
[7] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_offbeat/science&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=4&c=44aUQzK07lnxrSRDd2pRnMXwAAAA4&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D4%26raptor%3Dfalcon%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[8] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_offbeat/science&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=3&c=33aUQzK07lnxrSRDd2pRnMXwAAAA4&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D3%26raptor%3Deagle%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[9] https://www.theregister.com/2025/10/14/more_jpl_employees_set_to/
[10] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_offbeat/science&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=4&c=44aUQzK07lnxrSRDd2pRnMXwAAAA4&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D4%26raptor%3Dfalcon%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[11] https://x.com/rookisaacman/status/1985796145017471442
[12] https://www.theregister.com/2025/12/17/nasa_maven_mars_probe_loses_contact/
[13] https://www.theregister.com/2025/12/02/isaacman_discovery_relocation/
[14] https://www.theregister.com/2025/11/28/launchpad_damaged_soyuz/
[15] https://www.theregister.com/2025/11/21/spacex_super_heavy_mishap/
[16] https://www.theregister.com/2025/10/16/spacexs_starship_two_down_a/
[17] https://www.theregister.com/2025/09/22/nasa_starship_artemis_doubts/
[18] https://www.theregister.com/2025/10/31/spacex_shows_off_lunar_starship/
[19] https://www.theregister.com/2025/10/21/spacex_is_behind_schedule_so/
[20] https://whitepapers.theregister.com/
Good
DarkwavePunk
I think this is a sensible appointment. His STEM work off his own back/money is laudable. I don't think his relationship with SpaceX is problematic - rather pragmatic. As least he's not some weirdo right-wing podcaster with no experience with aerospace, which I was expecting for a nomination from this administration. Maybe I'm being overly optimistic, but it could be much worse.
Well Mr Isaacman
ajadedcynicaloldfart
So, Trump supported, you then dumped you and then supported you again. And now, here you are.
Thing is, what did Trump "ask" of you so he would give you back this position? What ever it was he will now collect. As An example, look at Melon Suk. Gave 240 million and where did it get him. Tread carefully Mr Isaacman. It will soon be payback time....
Only one good thing in this whole mess
If the US considers itself in a race with China, maybe, just maybe, there will be money to get things going.
Especially if Trump wants to brag about beating Xi to the punch (although, with all the love letters these two have allegedly exchanged, I dount the fight will be that fierce on Trump's side)
He loves to brag, but he doesn't fight, he just punches below his weight. Xi is way above his weight rating (intellectually speaking, of course, but Trump couldn't even pick him up with both his arms, whereas Xi could probably get Trump's ass on his knees with both hands tied behind his back).