Embry-Riddle Alumnus Jared Isaacman Brings Space, Aviation Expertise as Next Head of NASA
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University alumnus Jared Isaacman — an entrepreneur, pilot and commercial astronaut — has been confirmed as NASA’s 15th administrator.
Isaacman, who received his bachelor's degree in Aeronautics from Embry-Riddle in 2011, was confirmed Jan. 17 by the U.S. Senate to lead the nation’s space agency.
Embry-Riddle President P. Barry Butler, Ph.D., congratulated Isaacman on his remarkable achievements and visionary leadership, which are setting the stage for a new era of science and discovery.
“Jared’s commitment and drive are inspiring young minds and pushing the boundaries of space exploration,” Butler said. “We are excited to witness the next steps in this important journey.”
Endorsed by dozens of NASA astronauts and former NASA officials, Isaacman is helming the agency at a crucial time for space exploration.
At the Fall 2024 commencement at Embry-Riddle’s Daytona Beach Campus, Isaacman told graduates that they stand at the precipice of their own “moonshots.”
“It’s you who will make these possibilities real, working on and off the planet to create technologies that will carry our civilization across skies, into space and to the planets beyond,” he told the graduating class.
Accelerating Collaboration at Embry-Riddle
Isaacman, founder and former CEO of Shift4, a global payment processor and technologies company, also founded Draken International, a supplier of tactical fighter aircraft and defense training to the U.S. Armed Forces. More recently, Isaacman has been at the forefront of private space exploration, achieving several groundbreaking firsts.
In 2021, Isaacman commanded Inspiration4, the world’s first all-civilian mission to orbit. The space mission, which included fellow Embry-Riddle alumnus Chris Sembroski as a mission specialist, lasted approximately three days, with the crew circling Earth at over 17,000 mph. Inspiration4 also raised over $250 million for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.
Following that success, Isaacman commanded his second spaceflight mission in September 2024. The Polaris Dawn mission, which included collaborations with Embry-Riddle on a camera system and on science focused on human health in space, pushed the boundaries of what is possible for commercial spaceflight.
During the mission, he and his crew reached a peak altitude of 875 miles, a record for a crewed orbit and the farthest astronauts have traveled since NASA’s Apollo 17 mission in 1972. Isaacman also made history by conducting the first commercial spacewalk.
The student-built space camera system, titled Literally Looking At More Astronauts in Space (LLAMAS), captured a 180-degree view from inside the Polaris Dawn mission's spacecraft. The extensive development and qualification process for the camera project led to 47 undergraduates earning flight hardware certification. Several now work at leading aerospace companies, including SpaceX and Blue Origin.
Navigating NASA’s Next Frontier
Isaacman ascends to NASA leadership at a pivotal time for U.S. leadership in space. The New Jersey native, who launched Shift4 as a teenager, now bridges government, industry and collaboration like no NASA administrator before him. And he does that with strong ties to his alma mater.
“My Embry-Riddle connection,” Isaacman has said, “turns classroom projects into orbital breakthroughs.”
For his contributions to space exploration and achievements on Earth, Isaacman received an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters from Embry-Riddle at the Fall 2024 commencement ceremony.
Highlighted by his two space missions, Isaacman’s career underscores a commitment to hands-on, industry-driven aerospace education.
During his Embry-Riddle Fall 2024 commencement remarks, he spoke about the graduates’ future.
“I can tell you there are so many problems to solve, so many causes to support, so many great adventures to participate in,” he said.