“At stage separation, before the second motor ignites, to me it was a huge unload. You're practically at a zero-G event at that moment. It's the same thing when you get on orbit, except that it never starts up again. It's continuous. And the best way to describe that would be hanging upside down from your bed, like your head fills with blood.”

American entrepreneur, pilot, and commercial astronaut

Jared Isaacman is an American entrepreneur, pilot, and commercial astronaut. Born in 1983, he founded Shift4 Payments and later served as its chief executive until 2025. He also became known for co-founding Draken International, and since December 2025 he has served as the 15th administrator of NASA. His work spans payments, aviation, and spaceflight. Shift4 Payments grew under his leadership, while Draken International provides adversary training to the U.S. and other air forces. Forbes estimated his net worth at US$1.5 billion in April 2025, reflecting his place as a prominent business figure as well as a public-facing pilot and astronaut.