Billionaire Jared Isaacman, nominated as the next NASA administrator, has vowed to lead the US to victory against China in space. During a confirmation hearing held by the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation Wednesday, Isaacman shared his “message of urgency,” calling on the American space sector to ramp up its exploration efforts.
Without naming China and referring to it as a “great rival,” Isaacman pledged to get to the Moon first and establish a sustainable presence on the lunar surface.
Here’s Jared Isaacman’s opening statement before the Senate Commerce Committee as he’s being considered for the role of NASA Administrator.
Read more and watch the hearing in progress: https://t.co/3PP60REylN pic.twitter.com/htKW4FDW7J
— Spaceflight Now (@SpaceflightNow) December 3, 2025
Isaacman was nominated for the job by US President Donald Trump in December 2024, however, his nomination was withdrawn this June after the latter found about Isaacman’s past donations to Democratic party candidates. The withdrawal coincided with Trump’s fallout with SpaceX CEO Elon Musk, who’s reportedly a close ally of Isaacman. After a few closed-door meetings with Trump, he was renominated last month.
This was his second hearing since April, where the billionaire made similar promises.
Isaacman enjoys a huge popularity and strong backing from major US space industry experts due to his background. Apart from being the founder of Shift4 payments company, he has funded and commanded two successful private SpaceX missions Inspiration4 (2021) and Polaris Dawn (2024). He is also a decorated pilot with his own private defence aerospace company Draken International.
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NASA to prioritise outpacing China
Isaacman is likely to be confirmed as the administrator by the Senate as early as next week, per Ars Technica’s Eric Berger, and NASA’s primary objective under his leadership will be outpacing China.
My sincere appreciation to all those who sent in letters, and for the overwhelming support from across the community. I will do everything I can to live up to the expectations. pic.twitter.com/1hK67qq5Wo
— Jared Isaacman (@rookisaacman) December 3, 2025
“I know it is not lost on anyone in this room that we are in a great competition with a rival that has the will and means to challenge American exceptionalism across multiple domains, including in the high ground of space,” Isaacman said in his opening remarks at the hearing. “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.”
NASA has planned to land its astronauts on the lunar surface under Artemis 3, likely to launch in 2028. China, on the other hand, has similar ambitions which it wants to realise before 2030. Currently, NASA is working on the final phases of Artemis 2, which is targeted for launch in February 2026.
In his remarks, Isaacman outlined five major objectives encompassing all that he would like NASA to achieve. The first of them is returning to the Moon before China. “The success of the Artemis program that President Trump began during his first term. America will return to the Moon before our great rival, and we will establish an enduring presence to understand and realize the scientific, economic, and national security value on the lunar surface,” he said.
Isaacman also pledged to invest in nuclear propulsion and surface power programs that will pave the way for future missions to Mars and beyond. He said under his leadership, NASA would also efficiently navigate the significant budget cuts that have been proposed by the Trump administration.
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