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US President-elect Donald Trump announced on Wednesday that he has nominated businessman, philanthropist, pilot, and astronaut Jared Isaacman to serve as Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).

"Jared will drive NASA’s mission of discovery and inspiration, paving the way for groundbreaking achievements in Space science, technology, and exploration," Trump wrote.

"Over the past 25 years, as the Founder and CEO of Shift4, Jared has demonstrated exceptional leadership, building a trailblazing global financial technology company. He also co-founded and served as CEO of Draken International, a defense aerospace company, for over a decade, supporting the US Department of Defense, and our Allies," he added.

The President-elect concluded: "Jared’s passion for Space, astronaut experience, and dedication to pushing the boundaries of exploration, unlocking the mysteries of the universe, and advancing the new Space economy, make him ideally suited to lead NASA into a bold new Era. Congratulations to Jared, his wife Monica, and their children, Mila & Liv!"

Issacman accepted the nomination, writing: "I am honored to receive President Trump’s nomination to serve as the next Administrator of NASA. Having been fortunate to see our amazing planet from space, I am passionate about America leading the most incredible adventure in human history.

"On my last mission to space, my crew and I traveled farther from Earth than anyone in over half a century. I can confidently say this second space age has only just begun. Space holds unparalleled potential for breakthroughs in manufacturing, biotechnology, mining, and perhaps even pathways to new sources of energy. There will inevitably be a thriving space economy—one that will create opportunities for countless people to live and work in space. At NASA, we will passionately pursue these possibilities and usher in an era where humanity becomes a true spacefaring civilization.

"I was born after the Moon landings; my children were born after the final space shuttle launch. With the support of President Trump, I can promise you this: We will never again lose our ability to journey to the stars and never settle for second place. We will inspire children, yours and mine, to look up and dream of what is possible. Americans will walk on the Moon and Mars and in doing so, we will make life better here on Earth.

It is the honor of a lifetime to serve in this role and to work alongside NASA’s extraordinary team to realize our shared dreams of exploration and discovery. Grateful to serve."

Isaacman, who is Jewish, commanded the Inspiration4 and Polaris Dawn space missions. Inspiration4, which was operated by SpaceX, on board an autonomous Crew Dragon spacecraft launched by a Falcon 9 launch vehicle, was the first private human spaceflight in which none of the people aboard were from a government agency.

The mission launched on the eve of Yom Kippur and while Isaacman did not observe the holiday, the prospect prompted CNN to publish an in-depth look into the religious aspects of space tourism. The article quotes Issacman as saying: “To be very honest, I’m actually not a religious person. Though he acknowledged that he has been a contributor to a local synagogue in New Jersey.

His second space mission was part of a fundraiser for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, to which Isaacman pledged to donate $100 million.