With the overwhelming majority of President Donald Trump’s cupboard members now approved by the US Senate, focus is popping to senior positions throughout the administration which might be just under the cupboard degree.
The administrator of NASA is among the many most high-profile of those positions. Practically 4 months in the past Trump nominated non-public astronaut Jared Isaacman to develop into chief of the house company, however he has but to obtain a listening to earlier than the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
Nearly instantly after his nomination, a lot of the house neighborhood fell in behind Isaacman, who has flown to house twice on non-public Crew Dragon missions, raised charitable funds, and is usually well-liked. Since then, Isaacman has labored to construct assist for his candidacy by way of conversations with individuals within the house neighborhood and officeholders.
Nonetheless, publicly, not a lot has occurred. This has raised questions throughout the house neighborhood about whether or not the nomination has stalled. Though some individuals have expressed concern about monetary ties between Isaacman and SpaceX, in keeping with a number of sources, the first impediment has been Ted Cruz, the Texas Republican who chairs the Senate committee.
Cruz will not be glad that Isaacman has donated to Democrats previously, and he’s involved that the non-public astronaut is extra involved in Mars exploration than the Moon. Cruz additionally didn’t admire Elon Musk’s call to finish the lifetime of the Worldwide Area Station early. The station is operated by NASA’s subject middle, Johnson Area Heart, in Houston, the place Cruz lives.
Nomination on observe
Nonetheless, regardless of the slower tempo, individuals conversant in the nomination course of say Isaacman’s candidacy stays on observe. And just lately, there have been some public bulletins that assist this notion.
In early March, the governors of a number of southern US states, together with Florida and Texas, sent a letter to Cruz expressing “sturdy assist” for the swift affirmation of Isaacman. A notable absence from this letter was the governor of Alabama, Kay Ivey, the place NASA’s Marshall Area Flight Heart is positioned. Nonetheless, she additionally just lately sent Cruz a letter praising Isaacman, calling him an “distinctive choice” to guide NASA. It’s notable that the governors of all of the US states with main human spaceflight actions have now lined up behind Isaacman.