The new Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), Jared Isaacman, has stated that the United States will return to the moon during Trump's second term, which is within the next three years. In an interview on Friday, December 26th, Isaacman expressed that Trump's renewed commitment to lunar exploration is key to initiating an "orbital economy." Isaacman stated, "We want the opportunity to explore and unlock the moon's potential in science, the economy, and national security." Last week, the U.S. Senate confirmed Isaacman's appointment with a vote of 67 in favor and 30 against, marking his first public remarks since taking office.

Isaacman is the founder of the payment service provider "Shift4 Payments," has close ties to Elon Musk, has provided funding for Musk's SpaceX, and has flown into space multiple times aboard the company's spacecraft. Isaacman was initially nominated for the role of NASA Administrator by Trump back in December 2024, but the nomination was withdrawn in May of this year. Reports at the time suggested reasons for the withdrawal included his close relationship with Musk, as Trump and Musk had a fierce conflict during the summer. It wasn't until November of this year that Isaacman was re-nominated.

In his latest interview, Isaacman indicated that opportunities on the moon include building space data centers and related infrastructure, and potentially mining "Helium-3," a rare gas embedded in the lunar soil that could become a crucial fuel for nuclear fusion power generation in the future. He added that after establishing a "lunar base," NASA will also study investments in nuclear energy and space nuclear propulsion technology to enable deeper space exploration.

Currently, NASA is collaborating with several contractors, including SpaceX, Blue Origin, and Boeing, on the Artemis lunar program. This program aims not only to return to the moon but also to prepare for future missions to Mars. Earlier this year, the U.S. government proposed phasing out Artemis in favor of more cost-effective commercial plans. Subsequently, some Republican and Democratic lawmakers rallied to support Artemis, warning that abandoning it would put the U.S. at a disadvantage in the space race.

According to NASA's original plan, the Artemis 3 mission was scheduled for 2024. However, NASA announced last year that Mission 2 is delayed until April 2026, and Mission 3 is postponed until 2027. Isaacman stated that Mission 2—NASA's first crewed test flight of the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket and the Orion spacecraft—is expected to launch in the near future. He also noted that SpaceX and Blue Origin are refining heavy-lift rocket technology, combined with in-orbit cryogenic propellant transfer, to make rockets more reusable.

"It is precisely these technologies that will enable us to travel to and from the moon affordably and frequently, laying the foundation for future missions to Mars and beyond into deep space," he said.