SpaceX and NASA will be closely linked in 2025. While we were wondering about Elon Musk's role as a close advisor to Donald Trump's new administration, particularly on the subject of the future of the SLS rocket and the role to play of SpaceX in NASA's Artemis program, we have just learned that a close friend of Elon Musk will take the helm of the American space agency. His name is Jared Isaacman, and despite his lack of experience in aerospace companies, he is indeed an astronaut, and even carried out an extravehicular mission in September, with SpaceX.
Jared Isaacman is SpaceX's first "space tourist", as the man financed his first mission from a Falcon 9 rocket and a Crew Dragon module in September 2021, through the "Inspiration4" mission. Since then, he returned to space last September, for a flight called "Polaris Dawn", this time with real scientific interest since SpaceX took two members of the crew - including Jared Isaacman - outside the module, to test a new space suit. Jared Isaacman was the first space tourist, then the first to perform a spacewalk, and now he is the first of this class to climb to the top of NASA.
Donald Trump appoints the new NASA administrator
"I am thrilled to nominate Jared Isaacman, an accomplished business leader, philanthropist, pilot, and astronaut, as Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). Jared will lead NASA’s mission of discovery and inspiration, leading the way in groundbreaking achievements in space science, technology, and exploration,” future President Donald Trump wrote on Elon Musk’s X platform. He later added that Jared Isaacman had demonstrated “exceptional leadership” as founder and CEO of his company Shift4. In response, the future NASA chief said: “I am honored to receive President Trump’s nomination to serve as the next Administrator of NASA. Having had the privilege of seeing our incredible planet from space, I am passionate about America’s pursuit of the most incredible adventure in human history.” He took the opportunity to mention one of the other feats of his last Polaris Dawn mission, during which he achieved a flight at an altitude not reached for more than fifty years (700 km).
"During my last mission in space, my crew and I traveled further from Earth than anyone else in more than half a century. I can say with certainty that this second space age is only just beginning. Space holds unprecedented potential for breakthroughs in manufacturing, biotechnology, mining and perhaps even new sources of energy. There will inevitably be a thriving space economy, which will provide countless people with the opportunity to live and work in space,” wrote Jared Isaacman.
Artemis program and conflict of interest
More seriously, The man continued by discussing what awaits him as the new NASA administrator in 2025. Jared Isaacman will enter an exceptional phase in aerospace, as the Artemis 3 mission, which is supposed to bring astronauts back to the surface of the Moon, is scheduled for 2026.
“I was born after the moon landing, and my children were born after the final launch of the space shuttle. With the support of President Trump, I can promise you this: We will never again lose our ability to travel to the stars, and never settle for second place. We will inspire children, yours and mine, to look up and dream of what is possible. Americans will walk on the moon and Mars, and in doing so, we will improve life here on Earth.”
It’s hard not to see the connection between his plans and his sensibilities, and those of SpaceX, the company that allowed him to reach space, an adventure that only a tiny fraction of humanity has been able to achieve in the last fifty years, and even fewer if we only look at the space “tourists”. Faced with Blue Origin, Jeff Bezos' company, in direct competition with SpaceX, the conflict of interest is clearly visible, especially since a cohabitation of the two companies will certainly not be an enclave for SpaceX's success, and a more discreet strategy of sharing government contracts could just as well make Elon Musk's company happy.
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