Nasa has been left without a confirmed administrator after the White House unexpectedly withdrew Jared Isaacman’s nomination to lead the agency.
Mr Isaacman, a billionaire entrepreneur, pilot and commercial astronaut, was nominated by US President Donald Trump in December.
The withdrawal comes as Nasa deals with a shrinking budget and pressure to deliver on its Artemis Moon programme and other deep-space goals. Mr Trump has not yet put forward a new nominee.
The US leader said he was withdrawing the nomination following a review of Mr Isaacman’s “prior associations", without elaborating further.
“Nasa has been operating with an acting administrator to date, Janet Petro, who was the director of Kennedy Space Centre,” David Barnhart, chief executive of California space infrastructure company Arkisys, told The National.
“She has been shepherding the agency through multiple changes, including budget reductions and programme shifts. But the absence of a Senate-confirmed leader may delay major programme changes.”
Shift towards Mars?
The choice of Mr Isaacman was widely seen as bold and unconventional, aligning with the administration’s focus on commercial partnerships in space.
The decision to withdraw the nomination was made two days after billionaire Elon Musk, a close friend of Mr Isaacman, finished his tenure in Washington as a “special government employee”.
Last month, the Trump administration put forward an $18.8 billion budget for Nasa for 2026, down 24 per cent from last year, with much of that to be allocated for human exploration of the Moon and Mars.
The lower budget cuts or reshapes major programmes, including ending the Gateway project, a lunar-orbiting station that Nasa and many countries were building parts for, and the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket.
Nasa had developed the SLS rocket for its Artemis Moon programme but each launch would have reportedly cost $4 billion and the entire programme is behind schedule. Mr Musk, founder of SpaceX, has said Starship projects would be at a fraction of that cost.
Mr Barnhart said the withdrawal of Mr Isaacman as the next Nasa chief could cause more delays in programme changes.
“It is uncertain whether a focus on lunar activities will shift to Mars, for example, or whether the Space Launch System will be cut back in favour of only using commercial launch providers,” he said.
'Politicised' leadership
Sahith Madara, founder of Paris-based advisory firm Bumi & Space, said Mr Isaacman could have helped bridge the public-private divide, especially as Nasa relies more heavily on commercial providers such as SpaceX and Blue Origin to deliver key parts of its missions.
“This says a lot about how politicised the Nasa leadership has become,” he said.
“Jared brought real technical and commercial chops and could’ve helped bridge public and private space efforts, especially with programmes like Artemis and deep space exploration on the table.”
Mr Isaacman issued a statement on X after news of the withdrawal, saying he had gained “a much deeper appreciation for the complexities of government” over the course of the nomination process.
“The President, Nasa and the American people deserve the very best – an administrator ready to reorganise, rebuild and rally the best and brightest minds to deliver the world-changing headlines Nasa was built to create,” he said.
“I have not flown my last mission, whatever form that may ultimately take, but I remain incredibly optimistic that humanity’s greatest spacefaring days lie ahead.”
Blow to the commercial sector
Mr Isaacman, who has flown aboard SpaceX’s Crew Dragon capsule and carried out a spacewalk as part of the Polaris Programme, had no previous government experience.
His commercial accomplishments, however, and experience in space made him a favourite with those advocating for a more industry-driven Nasa.
“Mr Isaacman’s experience lent credence to commercial industry excitement,” Mr Barnhart said.
“It was felt he would help transition more Nasa functions to the commercial sector. In general, it was seen as a favourable transition from past administrators and a recognition that Nasa’s focus on doing more with industry as partners would allow them to focus on science and innovation.”
Retired Nasa astronaut Dr Leroy Chiao, who spent 229 days in space across multiple missions, told The National that the withdrawal of Mr Isaacman's nomination left questions unanswered.
“I was in favour and am disappointed that he was withdrawn,” Dr Chiao said. “I don’t know the reason, but the official ones given are vague and don’t really make sense to me.
“In the meantime, Nasa will be OK, as there is an acting administrator who has been running the agency since February.”
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Volvo ES90 Specs
Engine: Electric single motor (96kW), twin motor (106kW) and twin motor performance (106kW)
Power: 333hp, 449hp, 680hp
Torque: 480Nm, 670Nm, 870Nm
On sale: Later in 2025 or early 2026, depending on region
Price: Exact regional pricing TBA
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
The%20specs
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Zayed Sustainability Prize
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
COMPANY PROFILE
Founders: Alhaan Ahmed, Alyina Ahmed and Maximo Tettamanzi
Total funding: Self funded
Moon Music
Artist: Coldplay
Label: Parlophone/Atlantic
Number of tracks: 10
Rating: 3/5
MATCH INFO
Asian Champions League, last 16, first leg:
Al Jazira 3 Persepolis 2
Second leg:
Monday, Azizi Stadium, Tehran. Kick off 7pm
Key findings of Jenkins report
- Founder of the Muslim Brotherhood, Hassan al Banna, "accepted the political utility of violence"
- Views of key Muslim Brotherhood ideologue, Sayyid Qutb, have “consistently been understood” as permitting “the use of extreme violence in the pursuit of the perfect Islamic society” and “never been institutionally disowned” by the movement.
- Muslim Brotherhood at all levels has repeatedly defended Hamas attacks against Israel, including the use of suicide bombers and the killing of civilians.
- Laying out the report in the House of Commons, David Cameron told MPs: "The main findings of the review support the conclusion that membership of, association with, or influence by the Muslim Brotherhood should be considered as a possible indicator of extremism."
The specs
Engine: 2.9-litre twin-turbo V6
Power: 540hp at 6,500rpm
Torque: 600Nm at 2,500rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Kerb weight: 1580kg
Price: From Dh750k
On sale: via special order
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
Results
STAGE
1 . Filippo Ganna (Ineos) - 0:13:56
2. Stefan Bissegger (Education-Nippo) - 0:00:14
3. Mikkel Bjerg (UAE Team Emirates) - 0:00:21
4. Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates) - 0:00:24
5. Luis Leon Sanchez (Astana) - 0:00:30
GENERAL CLASSIFICATION
1. Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates) - 4:00:05
2. Joao Almeida (QuickStep) - 0:00:05
3. Mattia Cattaneo (QuickStep) - 0:00:18
4. Chris Harper (Jumbo-Visma) - 0:00:33
5. Adam Yates (Ineos) - 0:00:39
How to protect yourself when air quality drops
Install an air filter in your home.
Close your windows and turn on the AC.
Shower or bath after being outside.
Wear a face mask.
Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.
If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.
PROFILE OF SWVL
Started: April 2017
Founders: Mostafa Kandil, Ahmed Sabbah and Mahmoud Nouh
Based: Cairo, Egypt
Sector: transport
Size: 450 employees
Investment: approximately $80 million
Investors include: Dubai’s Beco Capital, US’s Endeavor Catalyst, China’s MSA, Egypt’s Sawari Ventures, Sweden’s Vostok New Ventures, Property Finder CEO Michael Lahyani
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
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info-box
COMPANY PROFILE
Company name: Happy Tenant
Started: January 2019
Co-founders: Joe Moufarrej and Umar Rana
Based: Dubai
Sector: Technology, real-estate
Initial investment: Dh2.5 million
Investors: Self-funded
Total customers: 4,000
Read more about the coronavirus
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
The specs
Engine: Dual 180kW and 300kW front and rear motors
Power: 480kW
Torque: 850Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Price: From Dh359,900 ($98,000)
On sale: Now
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
Monster Hunter: World
Capcom
PlayStation 4, Xbox One
Scoreline
Syria 1-1 Australia
Syria Al Somah 85'
Australia Kruse 40'
Last-16
France 4
Griezmann (13' pen), Pavard (57'), Mbappe (64', 68')
Argentina 3
Di Maria (41'), Mercado (48'), Aguero (90 3')
Spec%20sheet
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The 12 breakaway clubs
England
Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspur
Italy
AC Milan, Inter Milan, Juventus
Spain
Atletico Madrid, Barcelona, Real Madrid
Defence review at a glance
• Increase defence spending to 2.5% of GDP by 2027 but given “turbulent times it may be necessary to go faster”
• Prioritise a shift towards working with AI and autonomous systems
• Invest in the resilience of military space systems.
• Number of active reserves should be increased by 20%
• More F-35 fighter jets required in the next decade
• New “hybrid Navy” with AUKUS submarines and autonomous vessels
Titan Sports Academy:
Programmes: Judo, wrestling, kick-boxing, muay thai, taekwondo and various summer camps
Location: Inside Abu Dhabi City Golf Club, Al Mushrif, Abu Dhabi, UAE
Telephone: 971 50 220 0326
What is graphene?
Graphene is extracted from graphite and is made up of pure carbon.
It is 200 times more resistant than steel and five times lighter than aluminum.
It conducts electricity better than any other material at room temperature.
It is thought that graphene could boost the useful life of batteries by 10 per cent.
Graphene can also detect cancer cells in the early stages of the disease.
The material was first discovered when Andre Geim and Konstantin Novoselov were 'playing' with graphite at the University of Manchester in 2004.
Brief scoreline:
Wales 1
James 5'
Slovakia 0
Man of the Match: Dan James (Wales)
Ferrari
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The specs: 2018 Volkswagen Teramont
Price, base / as tested Dh137,000 / Dh189,950
Engine 3.6-litre V6
Gearbox Eight-speed automatic
Power 280hp @ 6,200rpm
Torque 360Nm @ 2,750rpm
Fuel economy, combined 11.7L / 100km
Specs
Engine: Dual-motor all-wheel-drive electric
Range: Up to 610km
Power: 905hp
Torque: 985Nm
Price: From Dh439,000
Available: Now
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
More from Neighbourhood Watch:
More on animal trafficking
The specs: 2018 Audi R8 V10 RWS
Price: base / as tested: From Dh632,225
Engine: 5.2-litre V10
Gearbox: Seven-speed automatic
Power: 540hp @ 8,250rpm
Torque: 540Nm @ 6,500rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 12.4L / 100km
