During a Senate hearing, Isaacman stated his priority is sending American astronauts to Mars, implying a potential shift from the Biden administration's focus on returning to the Moon by 2027. This aligns with Elon Musk's goal of establishing a human presence on Mars.
Isaacman acknowledged the possibility of simultaneous missions to both Mars and the Moon when questioned by Senator Ted Cruz.
Isaacman cautioned against the United States falling behind China in the ongoing space race, emphasizing the importance of maintaining a leading position.
Isaacman, founder of Draken International and Shift4 Payments, recently became the first astronaut to complete a private spacewalk during the Polaris Dawn mission with SpaceX.
NASA recently expanded SpaceX's launch services contract to include the Starship rocket.
Musk has previously described NASA's lunar missions as a distraction, advocating instead for the creation of a self-sustaining colony on Mars.