New NASA chief Jared Isaacman makes his priorities clear

NASA’s new leader, billionaire entrepreneur Jared Isaacman, has made his priorities for the space agency clear in his first days on the job.

Isaacman was sworn in Thursday as NASA’s 15th administrator. The same day, President Donald Trump signed an executive order directing NASA to return astronauts to the Moon by 2028, begin development of a permanent outpost on the lunar surface by 2030, and lay the groundwork for future exploration of Mars.

The order will likely provide a road map for Isaacman and NASA.

“Over the next three years, we’re going to land American astronauts on the Moon again, but this time with the infrastructure to stay there,” Isaacman told NBC News in an interview after his swearing-in Thursday.

He assumed the position at a key moment for NASA: the Trump administration has made it an urgent goal to return astronauts to the Moon before Chinese astronauts reach the lunar surface.

“We are facing another space race,” Isaacman said.

The next phase of NASA’s Moon return program, known as Artemis, could launch as early as February. The mission, Artemis II, will send four astronauts on a roughly 10-day flight around the moon to test the agency’s Space Launch System rocket and Orion spacecraft.

The subsequent Artemis III flight is expected to land astronauts near the Moon’s south pole.

Under Isaacman, NASA is expected to continue its efforts toward more commercialization. Companies like SpaceX and Blue Origin are set to play a critical role in the space agency’s efforts to return to the Moon, and Isaacman said other private space companies would also support the agency’s lunar ambitions.

Trump’s executive order on space policy calls for the development of a “vibrant commercial space economy through the power of American free enterprise” and outlines a plan to terminate the International Space Station by 2030 and launch commercial space stations in its place.

The command also focuses on nuclear power in space. Building on a directive from Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, who was acting NASA administrator before Isaacman’s confirmation, the goal is to develop a nuclear reactor ready for launch to the Moon by 2030.

Isaacman said nuclear power in space will be key to exploration beyond the Moon, including future missions to Mars.

One of the challenges he will face as administrator, however, will be implementing the White House vision on a limited budget.

Current funding from the U.S. government extends through January 30. After that date, NASA will face the possibility of significant budget cuts, particularly in its science operations.

Despite this looming obstacle, Isaacman said he is optimistic about the agency’s ability to juggle the administration’s priorities.

“Whether it’s $25 billion or $20 billion, that’s a lot of money coming into the agency every year,” he said. “We have the best and the brightest, capable of taking on many difficult, if not nearly impossible, tasks simultaneously. »

“In the president’s space policy, it’s the opportunity to go back to the Moon, establish the infrastructure there, and then invest in future technologies like nuclear to put them in place for missions to Mars,” Isaacman said. “I think with the resources provided, the president’s commitment here at the White House with this space policy, we’re going to be able to get the job done.”