Dec. 3 (UPI) — Billionaire tech mogul Jared Isaacman underwent a rare second Senate confirmation hearing to assess his qualifications to lead NASA as its new administrator and beat China to the moon.
Committee chairman Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, on Wednesday said he hopes to see Isaacman confirmed as NASA administrator before the end of the month.
“Mr. Isaacman, I believe, will prioritize stability, accountability and respect for the men and women who make the agency’s missions possible,” Cruz said while introducing Isaacman.
“As the commander of Inspiration4, the first all-civilian spaceflight, and the first private citizen to walk in space, he knows that every successful mission depends on the skills and the dedication of its crew, as well as the countless professionals supporting them from the ground.”
Cruz said Isaacman is as committed to maintaining U.S. supremacy in space as is the committee and the entire Senate.
“The United States must remain the unquestioned leader in space exploration,” Cruz added. “This imperative is why we need to confirm your nomination as expeditiously as possible.”
Ranking Member Sen. Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., told Isaacman that she supported his nomination the first time and intends to do so again.
Cantwell said it is important for the United States to send a crewed mission to the moon as soon as possible to beat China.
“Winning a race to the moon is not just about short-term token victories,” Cantwell said.
“It is the first step in accomplishing a very long-term presence on the lunar surface,” she continued, “which is strategic — economically and in a national security perspective.”
Cantwell said she would like to see NASA to have a lunar lander ready to send a crewed mission to the moon’s surface by 2028.
She also cited NASA’s importance as a scientific research and development organization, including the use of artificial intelligence and next-generation thermal plastics.
If confirmed, Isaacman would replace Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, who also has been NASA’s acting administrator since July.
Sen. Tim Sheehy, R-Mont., submitted 40 letters of support from those who support Isaacman’s nomination and echoed Cantwell’s concern that China intends to beat the United States in landing men on the moon.
“We have a moral obligation to continue to lead in the greatest frontier ever known, and it requires strong leadership,” Sheehy said.
He described Isaacman as someone who knows how to design critical systems, fly spaceships and lead a team to the moon to beat China in a race to the lunar surface.
Isaacman said he was honored to undergo a second confirmation hearing and said he has “lived the American dream,” including leading “two noble missions to space” to benefit charities.
He affirmed an urgent need to return to the moon and beat China to it.
“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,” Isaacman said.
The One Big Beautiful Bill Act allocated an “historic investment” to fulfill the mission of being the first to return to the moon, Isaacman said, adding: “It’s now time for NASA to deliver.”
He told committee members that he isn’t seeking personal gain or to enrich contractors but instead to “bring urgency and extreme focus. to the mission.”
His goals are to ensure the success of the Artemis program, beat China to the moon and “establish an enduring presence to understand and realize the scientific, economic and national security value on the lunar surface.”
Isaacman said NASA also would lead the next “giant leap in capabilities” to extend the nation’s reach further into space.
He cited investments in nuclear propulsion, nuclear electric, nuclear thermal and surface power programs, combined with advancements in launch vehicles to send crewed missions to Mars and beyond.
“We will never accept a gap in capabilities again,” Isaacman said. “Not with our space station presence in low Earth orbit or our ability to send an American astronaut to the moon.”
He said a lunar economy would be able to fund the future in space, instead of relying on taxpayer dollars to fund missions.
“If NASA doesn’t do it, no one else will,” Isaacman said, adding that success would “usher in a new golden age of science and discovery” for the nation and the world.
“We are just getting started on the greatest adventure in human history,” he added, “and with urgency and purpose and extreme focus on the mission, NASA will lead the way.”
Sen. Jerry Moran, R-Kan., obtained an assurance from Isaacman that NASA spending and staff would not be cut, as previously suggested by the Trump administration.
Sen. Andy Kim, D-N.J., also asked whether Isaacman placed an emphasis on putting astronauts on Mars instead of the moon, to which Isaacman said the moon is his priority.
NASA is scheduled to send a crewed mission to fly around the moon in the Artemis II mission that is scheduled in February.
A lunar lander vehicle is scheduled for completion in 2027, which would enable a crewed landing on the lunar surface.
Kim suggested it would take decades to fully establish a permanent base on the moon and wants assurances from Isaacman that NASA staff will not undergo significant cuts.
Isaacman is an ally of SpaceX founder Elon Musk, has flown and walked in space, and underwent a confirmation hearing with the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation on April 9 after his initial nomination in January.
President Donald Trump withdrew Isaacman’s nomination in June, but has renominated Isaacman, who generally drew positive remarks from committee members during Wednesday morning’s confirmation hearing in Washington.