Space Coast Shakeup: Jared Isaacman confirmed as NASA chief while ULA CEO resigns

Space Shakeup: New leaders for NASA and ULA

As NASA gained a new CEO, ULA lost theirs. NASA is led by tech-billionaire Jared isaacman, who has flown to space twice. ULA's CEO, Tony Bruno resigns after 12 years. 

Significant leadership shifts are underway in Central Florida's space industry following the recent appointment of tech billionaire Jared Isaacman as the 15th NASA administrator. Meanwhile, the United Launch Alliance is also seeing a leadership change. 

Boeing's Starliner capsule, docked at the International Space Station [Credit: NASA]

What we know:

In a 67-30 Senate vote, tech billionaire Jared Isaacman was chosen as the new leader of NASA, FOX News reported on Dec. 17. President Donald Trump nominated Isaacman for the position in November.

This comes months after Trump withdrew the same nomination during his public feud with Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk, FOX said. 

NASA confirmed Isaacman as NASA's newest – and now 15th – administrator in a Dec. 18 biography article.

Jared Isaacman, administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), during a Bloomberg Television interview outside the White House in Washington, DC, US, on Thursday, Dec. 18, 2025. Isaacman said the agency will pick whichever

Expand

Who is Jared Isaacman? 

Jared Isaacman is an investor in SpaceX who previously led two private space flight missions. Growing up in New Jersey, Issacman developed a passion for space and aeronautics at a young age, his biography said. Isaacman founded a payment processing company at 16-years-old. Now called, Shift4, the company serves hundreds of thousands of businesses across world. Isaacman left the company as CEO when Shift4 went public. 

Isaacman, a skilled pilot, commanded his first space flight in 2021. 

"I think he’s a really good choice, but he’s got a lot of obstacles ahead of him," Ken Kremer, a space journalist with UpClose, told FOX 35's Esther Bower. 

Despite this, Kremer is concerned about NASA's budget cuts and whether the agency can achieve all its goals with less funding. 

In May, FOX News reported that President Trump unveiled a budget blueprint, proposing to cut NASA's federal funding by $6 billion. 

"My main question for him is he going to support full funding for NASA and NASA science? Is he going to try and convince Trump to change course?" Kremer said. 

A United Launch Alliance (ULA) Vulcan VC2S rocket launched the first certification mission from Space Launch Complex-41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida on Jan. 8, 2024 at 2:18 a.m. ET. Photo credit: United Launch Alliance (ULA)

Changes to ULA

Meanwhile, United Launch Alliance is changing course as its CEO of 12 years, Tony Bruno announced his decision to resign from the company to pursue another venture. 

The space company's Chief Operating Officer, John Elbon, was named as interim CEO. Elbon worked for Boeing for 35 years, serving as the vice president of Systems Integration for the Army’s Future Combat Systems, and the Boeing program manager for several NASA programs including Constellation, ISS, and the, Checkout, Assembly & Payload Processing Services (CAPPS) contract at Kennedy Space Center, his biography said. 

"John’s career in aerospace and his launch expertise is an asset for ULA and its customers, especially for achieving key upcoming Vulcan milestones," ULA said in a statement.