Donald Trump yesterday nominated billionaire Jared Isaacman to replace Bill Nelson as NASA Administrator. Nelson, aged 82, has headed NASA since 2021.
Billionaire Isaacman bought a ride on a SpaceX rocket and briefly left the spaceship to test a new astronaut pressure suit. Much of Isaacman’s billions are derived from aviation military contracting, and he is considered an ally of Elon Musk. Musk, one of the leaders of the new Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) has said he will make huge cuts in government waste. While Musk has demonstrated space launches for far less than other private or public space agencies, he doesn’t appear to view the space program as a driver for general economic and scientific progress.
