Importance Score: 75 / 100 🔴
BOSTON — NASA administrator nominee Jared Isaacman stated that he would, if necessary, prioritize the Artemis lunar exploration program over human missions to Mars. He also characterized a potential reduction of NASA science funding by half as less than ideal. His statements came as the Senate Commerce Committee is reviewing his nomination.
Jared Isaacman Addresses Senate Committee on NASA Priorities
On April 24, the Senate Commerce Committee released Isaacman’s responses to questions posed by Republican and Democratic committee members following his confirmation hearing on April 9. The committee is slated to vote on Isaacman’s nomination on April 30, forwarding it to the full Senate for consideration.
Concerns Over Potential NASA Science Funding Cuts
A central issue raised in the questions, particularly by Democratic members, concerned reports of a potential nearly 50% cut to NASA’s science programs in the fiscal year 2026 budget proposal. Such a cut could lead to the cancellation of missions under development, including the Roman Space Telescope and Mars Sample Return, and likely the termination of many ongoing extended operations.
Isaacman responded that he was not involved in crafting the 2026 budget proposal and was unaware of its specifics. “I have not reviewed or been party to any official discussions, but a ~50% reduction to NASA’s science budget does not appear to be an optimal outcome,” he stated in response to a question from Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.).
“If confirmed, I will advocate for robust investment in space science—across astrophysics, planetary science, Earth science, lunar science, and heliophysics—and for securing as much funding as the government can reasonably allocate,” he affirmed in response to another question about science funding from Sen. Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii).
He also seemed to diverge from the White House on the future of the Roman Space Telescope. “To my knowledge, the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope is nearing completion and remains on schedule and within budget—something that is unfortunately rare for flagship programs at the agency,” he stated. “I’m not aware of any reason why it should be canceled, and I would support its completion and successful deployment.”
Regarding the Mars Sample Return program, when asked by Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) if it should be “outsourced to industry,” as proposed by Rocket Lab, Isaacman responded succinctly: “Yes.”
Prioritizing the Artemis Program
Another major topic explored during the questioning was NASA’s Artemis program. Isaacman had previously suggested that a human return to the moon could proceed in parallel with human missions to Mars. “We could be paralleling these efforts and doing the near-impossible,” he said during the hearing.
When Cantwell asked which he would prioritize if funding allowed for only lunar or Martian missions, he chose the moon. “Given existing law, I would prioritize the Artemis program,” he responded, but maintained that proceeding with both moon and Mars missions concurrently was achievable, though he did not elaborate on the specifics.
He further stated, “Historically, NASA managed multiple complex programs simultaneously—Mercury, Gemini, and Apollo—in an era with far less technological capability than we possess today,” while not addressing the budgetary distinctions between NASA during the peak of the Apollo program in the mid-1960s and the present day. “More than six decades later, with the advances in industry and innovation, I believe the world’s premier space agency should be capable of executing multiple major initiatives at a time.”
Isaacman reiterated his support for the Space Launch System and Orion as the most expedient method for returning to the moon, while advocating for a transition to commercial systems upon achieving that goal. “Once those obligations have been met,” he said, referring to returning humans to the moon, “I believe NASA should transition away from competing with the commercial sector and instead focus its world-class talent and infrastructure on developing the next generation of exploration technologies—including nuclear spaceships—as a logical next step.”
“If confirmed, I will focus on getting Artemis back on track,” he stated in response to a question from Sen. John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.). “That means working alongside NASA leadership, commercial partners, and program managers to address the root causes of delays— bureaucracy, program misalignment, and lack of accountability—and restoring a mission-first culture across the agency.”
Senator Cruz raised concerns “about suggestions that the United States abandon the statutory requirement for NASA to maintain a material presence on or near the Moon,” and asked if Isaacman supported the “sustained human presence” as outlined in a 2010 NASA authorization act.
“I’m committed to following the law—and as a lifelong space enthusiast, I would like nothing more than to see lunar operations become continuous, enduring, and routine,” Isaacman replied, advocating for “flexible policies” to facilitate that objective.
Addressing Connections to Elon Musk
A recurring theme of the questions centered on the relationship between Isaacman and Elon Musk, the chief executive of SpaceX and a former advisor to President Trump.
In response to multiple inquiries, Isaacman clarified that he does not have a close relationship with Musk and communicates with him infrequently. “I do not have a close personal relationship with Mr. Musk. While I’ve spoken with him occasionally over the years in my capacity as a SpaceX customer, I would describe our interactions as professional,” he stated in response to a question from Senator Cantwell. “I admire and respect his contributions to space and technology, but it would be inaccurate to characterize our relationship as close.”
He labeled as “1000% false” a Wall Street Journal report from March suggesting that Musk contacted Isaacman late last year to gauge his interest in becoming NASA administrator. He clarified that Howard Lutnick, the co-chair of the transition team, contacted him about the position. He also denied frequent communication with Michael Altenhofen, a SpaceX official who now holds a senior advisory role at NASA.
Isaacman asserted that he had not discussed NASA matters with Musk since the election last November. Reaffirming his previous exchange with Sen. Edward Markey (D-Mass.) during the confirmation hearing, Isaacman again declined to explicitly confirm whether Musk was present when then President-elect Trump offered him the nomination.
“My interview was with the President of the United States,” he wrote in response to multiple questions from Markey about the meeting. “The person asking me questions—and ultimately offering me the opportunity—was the President himself.”