Jared Isaacman downplayed his relationship with SpaceX CEO Elon Musk in testimony on Wednesday, saying that it was a business relationship that would have no impact if he is confirmed to serve as NASA’s administrator.
At Isaacman’s confirmation hearing before the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee, Sen. Gary Peters (D-MI) asked Isaacman about a social media post from President Donald Trump over the summer that said Isaacman wasn’t fit for the job due to his ties to Musk.
Isaacman, a billionaire who has paid for and flown on two private SpaceX flights, said he doesn’t maintain a friendship with Musk. Instead, he said he simply pays SpaceX to fly to space because Musk’s company is the only one offering commercial orbital missions right now.
“In that respect, my relationship is no different than that of NASA,” he said.
High level: Isaacman told lawmakers that, if confirmed, he would bring a new urgency to the agency that would help the US maintain its position as the world’s preeminent space power.
While Isaacman earned praise from lawmakers for his commitment to exploration and American supremacy, his confirmation hearing before the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee wasn’t all smooth sailing.
- Peters asked whether Isaacman’s millions in donations to groups aligned with Trump over the summer had anything to do with Trump reconsidering him for the job. Isaacman declined to speculate on why Trump came back to him for the role, and said that his first confirmation process got him interested in politics—hence, the donations to the Republican party. He also noted that he’s donated much more to charities over the same time span.
- Sen. Andy Kim (D-NJ) sharply questioned Isaacman about Project Athena, saying it contradicted previous statements the nominee had made about things like support for climate science, and a sustained human presence on the Moon. Isaacman said the memo was intended as a collaborative document to be further informed by research and data if he got the job—not a final say.
Rapid fire: Isaacman’s testimony included a handful of other tidbits…:
- On the need for urgency regarding China: “This is not the time for delay, but for action, because if we fall behind—if we make a mistake—we may never catch up, and the consequences could shift the balance of power here on Earth.”
- On competition: “I think competition among world powers is a good thing—as long as we don’t lose.”
- On the tech for both crewed lunar flights and sustained LEO presence: “We can never accept a gap again.”
- On competition for the lunar lander: “I think the best thing for SpaceX is Blue Origin right on their heels, and vice versa.”
What’s next: Isaacman won’t have to wait long to find out his fate. The committee will meet on Monday evening to vote on his nomination. If he’s approved as expected, the decision will be sent to the full Senate—and Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX), who leads the committee, said he hopes to see Isaacman in the job before the end of the year.
