Posted: Sun, Apr 13, 2025, 11:55 AM ET (1555 GMT)
NASA administrator nominee Jared Isaacman told senators he believed NASA should pursue human Moon and Mars program simultaneously. At his confirmation hearing Wednesday, he told the Senate Commerce Committee that he supported a human return to the Moon before 2030 even while stating that NASA should "prioritize sending American astronauts to Mars," saying that NASA "could be paralleling" the lunar and Martian initiatives. Isaacman endorsed the Artemis effort, including the use of the SLS and Orion at least for near-term missions. Isaacman also supported continuing operation of the International Space Station to 2030 as NASA shifts to commercial stations. While he said that he has not been in contact with Elon Musk since being nominated, he declined repeatedly to say if Musk was present when President Trump offered him the NASA job.

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