Jared Isaacman, an entrepreneur who flew to space twice as a commercial astronaut, was nominated for the position in early December and was voted favorably out of committee in late April. A replacement hasn’t been named.
The vote in front of the full Senate has yet to be scheduled. The committee was largely split along party lines, but the vote passed with bipartisan support.
If confirmed, Isaacman, 41, would be the fifth NASA administrator with spaceflight experience, replacing former Democratic Sen. Bill Nelson, who flew into orbit aboard the space shuttle Columbia in early 1986.