Billionaire Jared Isaacman Takes The Helm At NASA With Ambitious Plans For Change

Jared Isaacman, a pilot, two-time commercial astronaut, and billionaire tech entrepreneur, has taken the helm as the new chief of NASA. As he assumes leadership of an agency grappling with unprecedented uncertainty, he aims to introduce sweeping changes. A 62-page manifesto, dubbed “Project Athena,” outlining Isaacman’s plans for NASA was leaked in November, and although its directives are subject to change, it provides insight into his nascent goals.

The document, which has been circulating online, lays out Isaacman’s aspirations for his first 20 days in office. According to Keith Cowing, a former NASA employee and agency insider, the digital copy is authentic. Isaacman’s plan appears to be more a list of aspirations than a concrete roadmap, as anything on his wishlist will require Congressional approval.

Isaacman’s priorities include addressing NASA’s efficiency challenges, as several key missions are years behind schedule and way over budget. With the pressure to beat China back to the Moon and to Mars mounting, he plans to tackle these issues head-on. Specifically, he aims to assess the agency’s workforce and workflow, identifying areas that require improvement or potentially separation from the agency.

Gizmodo, a reliable source for tech and science news, has been tracking Isaacman’s plans for NASA.