Jared Isaacman Future NASA Administrator is Pro-Moon, Mars but not Lunar Gateway

Isaacman wants NASA to returns humans to the Moon as quickly as possible. This includes flying Artemis II around the Moon in 2026, and then landing the Artemis III mission later this decade.

Isaacman has been a private astronaut who was with a crew that has gotten further from Earth than anyone except the Apollo Astronauts.

Isaacman wants NASA to send humans to Mars as soon as possible. Senator Cruz wanted Isaacman to say NASA would establish a sustained presence at the Moon.

The committee has written authorizing legislation to mandate this, Cruz reminded Isaacman.

“If that’s the law, then I am committed to it,” Isaacman said.

Cruz wanted Isaacman to commit to flying the International Space Station through at least 2030, which is the space agency’s current date for retiring the orbital laboratory. Isaacman said that seemed reasonable and added that NASA should squeeze every possible bit of research out of the ISS.

When asked about the Lunar Gateway, he said he would work with Congress and space agency officials to determine which programs are working and which ones are not.

Isaacman is willing to fly SLS rocket and Orion spacecraft for Artemis II and Artemis III but likely no SLS rocket upgrades or Lunar Gateway.

Isaacman talked about making Mars and the moon exploration and development affordable. Space observers like myself know that this would only be possible with heavy SpaceX involvement.