Trump's NASA pick a boon for SpaceX, but will face political challenges
U.S. President-elect Donald Trump's pick to helm NASA, a private astronaut and close ally of Elon Musk's SpaceX, is a central figure of a speedy, commercial-focused side of the space industry who would face unfamiliar political challenges as an administrator. Jared Isaacman, the CEO of payment processing company Shift4 Payments, has made landmark visits to space on two ambitious SpaceX missions, including the first-ever privately funded spacewalk in September. In accepting Trump's decision, he envisioned a "thriving space economy" and vowed to "usher in an era where humanity becomes a true spacefaring civilization."
