President-elect Donald Trump has tapped Jared Isaacman, a billionaire entrepreneur, aviator, and private astronaut, to lead NASA.
The selection comes as the $25 billion-per-year space agency faces intense pressures to return U.S. astronauts to the moon.
Jared Isaacman has recently flown into space twice in a SpaceX spacecraft and became the first private astronaut to go on a spacewalk.
He participated in the first private space mission in a spacecraft that Elon Musk’s company produced.
Isaacman, entrepreneur, pilot, and commercial astronaut, has made very significant philanthropic contributions to various causes.
His philanthropy to date includes several significant donations:
Isaacman’s largest and most notable contribution has been to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital: he personally pledged $100 million to St. Jude as part of the Inspiration4 space mission.
Later, Isaacman and his wife Monica donated $125 million to the hospital.
The Inspiration4 mission, which Isaacman commanded, raised over $243 million in total for St. Jude, including contributions from personal friends like Elon Musk.
In addition to his support for St. Jude, Isaacman has made other significant contributions:
$10 million to the National Naval Aviation Museum Foundation.
$10 million to the U.S. Space and Rocket Center Education Foundation, supporting the “Space Camp” program.
In 2024, Isaacman substantially donated to the U.S. Space Force Historical Foundation, which is described as the largest private donation in the nonprofit’s 35-year history.
While the exact amount was not disclosed, it was considered an “unbelievable” donation.
To date, 41-year-old Isaacman’s confirmed total philanthropy amounts to at least $145 million, not including the undisclosed donation to the Space Force Historical Foundation.
Isaacman and his wife have signed the Giving Pledge, committing to donate most of their wealth to charity during their lifetimes.
His estimated net worth is around $2 billion, and there are strong indications that his total philanthropy may increase significantly.