(Adds detail on Isaacman in paragraphs 2, 4)
WASHINGTON, Dec 4 (Reuters) - U.S. President-elect Donald Trump on Wednesday tapped Jared Isaacman to lead the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.
Isaacman, CEO of payment processing company Shift4 Payments
, has been a close associate of Elon Musk and his space company SpaceX for years and leads Polaris, a program using SpaceX vehicles to conduct private astronaut missions in orbit.
"Jared will drive NASA's mission of discovery and inspiration, paving the way for groundbreaking achievements in Space science, technology, and exploration," Trump said in a post on his Truth Social platform.
Isaacman, if confirmed, would oversee a $25 billion agency heavily focused on returning humans to the moon under its Artemis program, a multibillion dollar effort promoted by Trump during his first term that will rely on SpaceX's Starship.
(Reporting by Ismail Shakil and Doina Chiacu; editing by Caitlin Webber)
((doina.chiacu@thomsonreuters.com; 202-898-8322;))
Disclaimer: Investing carries risk. This is not financial advice. The above content should not be regarded as an offer, recommendation, or solicitation on acquiring or disposing of any financial products, any associated discussions, comments, or posts by author or other users should not be considered as such either. It is solely for general information purpose only, which does not consider your own investment objectives, financial situations or needs. TTM assumes no responsibility or warranty for the accuracy and completeness of the information, investors should do their own research and may seek professional advice before investing.