Question marks over Nasa's plans after Trump withdraws nomination for Jared Isaacman

Decision rekindles debate over agency's commercial relationships

Jared Isaacman was nominated for the role by US President Donald Trump in December. AFP

Nasa has been left without a confirmed administrator after the White House unexpectedly withdrew Jared Isaacman’s nomination to lead the agency.

Mr Isaacman, a billionaire entrepreneur, pilot and commercial astronaut, was nominated by US President Donald Trump in December.

The withdrawal comes as Nasa deals with a shrinking budget and pressure to deliver on its Artemis Moon programme and other deep-space goals. Mr Trump has not yet put forward a new nominee.

The US leader said he was withdrawing the nomination following a review of Mr Isaacman’s “prior associations", without elaborating further.

“Nasa has been operating with an acting administrator to date, Janet Petro, who was the director of Kennedy Space Centre,” David Barnhart, chief executive of California space infrastructure company Arkisys, told The National.

“She has been shepherding the agency through multiple changes, including budget reductions and programme shifts. But the absence of a Senate-confirmed leader may delay major programme changes.”

Shift towards Mars?

The choice of Mr Isaacman was widely seen as bold and unconventional, aligning with the administration’s focus on commercial partnerships in space.

The decision to withdraw the nomination was made two days after billionaire Elon Musk, a close friend of Mr Isaacman, finished his tenure in Washington as a “special government employee”.

Last month, the Trump administration put forward an $18.8 billion budget for Nasa for 2026, down 24 per cent from last year, with much of that to be allocated for human exploration of the Moon and Mars.

The lower budget cuts or reshapes major programmes, including ending the Gateway project, a lunar-orbiting station that Nasa and many countries were building parts for, and the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket.

Nasa had developed the SLS rocket for its Artemis Moon programme but each launch would have reportedly cost $4 billion and the entire programme is behind schedule. Mr Musk, founder of SpaceX, has said Starship projects would be at a fraction of that cost.

Mr Barnhart said the withdrawal of Mr Isaacman as the next Nasa chief could cause more delays in programme changes.

“It is uncertain whether a focus on lunar activities will shift to Mars, for example, or whether the Space Launch System will be cut back in favour of only using commercial launch providers,” he said.

'Politicised' leadership

Sahith Madara, founder of Paris-based advisory firm Bumi & Space, said Mr Isaacman could have helped bridge the public-private divide, especially as Nasa relies more heavily on commercial providers such as SpaceX and Blue Origin to deliver key parts of its missions.

“This says a lot about how politicised the Nasa leadership has become,” he said.

“Jared brought real technical and commercial chops and could’ve helped bridge public and private space efforts, especially with programmes like Artemis and deep space exploration on the table.”

Mr Isaacman issued a statement on X after news of the withdrawal, saying he had gained “a much deeper appreciation for the complexities of government” over the course of the nomination process.

“The President, Nasa and the American people deserve the very best – an administrator ready to reorganise, rebuild and rally the best and brightest minds to deliver the world-changing headlines Nasa was built to create,” he said.

“I have not flown my last mission, whatever form that may ultimately take, but I remain incredibly optimistic that humanity’s greatest spacefaring days lie ahead.”

The Space Launch System rocket on a launch pad in Florida in April 2022. Nasa via EPA

Blow to the commercial sector

Mr Isaacman, who has flown aboard SpaceX’s Crew Dragon capsule and carried out a spacewalk as part of the Polaris Programme, had no previous government experience.

His commercial accomplishments, however, and experience in space made him a favourite with those advocating for a more industry-driven Nasa.

“Mr Isaacman’s experience lent credence to commercial industry excitement,” Mr Barnhart said.

“It was felt he would help transition more Nasa functions to the commercial sector. In general, it was seen as a favourable transition from past administrators and a recognition that Nasa’s focus on doing more with industry as partners would allow them to focus on science and innovation.”

Retired Nasa astronaut Dr Leroy Chiao, who spent 229 days in space across multiple missions, told The National that the withdrawal of Mr Isaacman's nomination left questions unanswered.

“I was in favour and am disappointed that he was withdrawn,” Dr Chiao said. “I don’t know the reason, but the official ones given are vague and don’t really make sense to me.

“In the meantime, Nasa will be OK, as there is an acting administrator who has been running the agency since February.”