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Dec. 4 (UPI) -- President-elect Donald Trump on Wednesday nominated billionaire SpaceX backer and close Elon Musk associate Jared Isaacman to be NASA administrator. "Jared will drive NASA's mission of discovery and inspiration, paving the way for groundbreaking achievements in space science, technology, and exploration," Trump said on social media.
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Issacman said on social media, "Having been fortunate to see our amazing planet from space, I am passionate about America leading the most incredible adventure in human history."
Issacman is a close associate of Musk, raising questions about whether Issacman will favor SpaceX and its interests over NASA, itself, if he is confirmed to lead the government space agency.
As an organizer of the first all-civilian space mission, Issacman helped support the idea that space travel and support would not need professional astronauts and government resources.
Some fear treating NASA like a business will hurt the space agency's core mission of science and exploration of space.
Issacman is founder and CEO of Shift4 payments. He also founded Draken International, a defense aerospace company.
He has experience in finance, aerospace and spaceflight that included leading the first all-civilian space flight into orbit.
