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Jared Isaacman Returns to the Senate: Second NASA Confirmation Hearing to Focus on Leaked 'Project Athena'

Jared Isaacman faces a second Senate confirmation hearing Wednesday at 10 a.m. ET, with attention focused on a leaked 62-page plan called Project Athena (dated May 2025). The document proposes major shifts — from prioritizing nuclear electric propulsion to creating a Mars program and outsourcing some scientific work. Isaacman says portions are "dated" and denies being "anti-science," but senators remain concerned about how Athena would mesh with NASA’s Artemis program and protect core research.

06:36 PM, 12/03/2025Politics
Jared Isaacman Returns to the Senate: Second NASA Confirmation Hearing to Focus on Leaked 'Project Athena'

Jared Isaacman, the billionaire entrepreneur and ally of Elon Musk, will appear before the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation for a second confirmation hearing to become NASA administrator. The hearing is scheduled for 10 a.m. ET on Wednesday and will be livestreamed on the committee’s website.

Isaacman first testified in April and was close to confirmation before President Donald Trump rescinded the nomination in late May amid a falling-out with Musk. The White House re-submitted Isaacman’s nomination in November.

The central focus of this session is the recently leaked 62-page plan known as Project Athena, dated May 2025. Isaacman has acknowledged the document and said on social media that "parts of it are now dated," but he did not specify which sections. The leaked plan outlines major proposals including converting some NASA centers to emphasize nuclear electric propulsion, launching a dedicated Mars exploration program, and adopting an "accelerate/fix/delete" approach to reprioritize agency activities.

Some sections of Project Athena have drawn controversy, particularly proposals to shift more scientific research responsibilities to private industry. Isaacman has pushed back against claims that he intends to dismantle NASA science, posting that he would personally fund the launch of an upcoming space telescope and calling suggestions that he is "anti-science" or intent on outsourcing core responsibilities "simply untrue."

Senators are expected to press Isaacman on how the Athena proposals would work alongside NASA’s existing Artemis program. NASA is preparing to launch Artemis II as soon as February — the program’s first crewed mission, which will send astronauts on a lunar flyby without landing.

"To protect our nation’s innovation leadership, he must be more than a rubber stamp for the Administration’s chainsaw approach to our space science initiatives," said Sen. Chris Van Hollen of Maryland, home to the Goddard Space Flight Center.

Key questions likely to arise during the hearing include: How would Isaacman fund and phase in major changes such as converting centers to new propulsion work? What safeguards would protect fundamental science and long-term research? How would Project Athena’s priorities align with Artemis missions and ongoing international partnerships?

The hearing is expected to be rigorous and closely watched by the space community, industry leaders, and lawmakers. Viewers can watch the hearing livestream on the Senate committee’s website; reporters and analysts will be monitoring testimony and follow-up exchanges for indications of how the administration intends to reshape NASA’s priorities.

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