Billionaire Jared Isaacman has already been to space twice. In September 2021, he led the first fully civilian orbital mission on SpaceX’s Crew Dragon spacecraft, and three years later he became the first private astronaut to walk in space. However, Isaacman may now have to take a break from private flying. Newly elected US President Donald Trump plans to appoint Isaacman to head NASA, likely with the help of Elon Musk. This step brought the experienced pilot into the highest circles of power in Washington, forcing him to reconsider his own space projects.
As part of the Polaris program he organized, Isaacman planned two more flights on Crew Dragon and further missions on Starship. But new responsibilities jeopardize the realization of those plans. “The future of the Polaris program is a little bit of a question mark at the moment,” he said at a space conference in Orlando, adding that the program could be put on hold.
At the same time, Isaacman expressed optimism about the development of a private space industry and the potential for public-private partnerships. He said NASA would actively work with companies to bring the era of humanity becoming a full-fledged space civilization closer.
His new role could greatly strengthen the position of SpaceX, which is already a major NASA contractor. Other private partnerships, particularly with Axiom and Vast, may also be affected in the future, although specific plans for this have not yet been disclosed.
While Isaacman may not fly into space as an astronaut again, his role as NASA administrator could provide a major push for SpaceX’s space ambitions and the private sector as a whole.
We previously reported on how Jared Isaacman called for sending a repair mission to Hubble.
Provided by Reuters
