Newly confirmed NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman announced that the United States is just months away from sending American astronauts around the moon for the first time in more than 50 years, marking a historic milestone in the nation’s renewed push for deep space exploration.

Speaking in an interview with CBS News’ Major Garrett, Isaacman described an aggressive and ambitious roadmap for NASA’s Artemis program. He emphasized that returning to the moon is not a symbolic exercise, but a strategic step toward long-term exploration and technological dominance in space.

“We’re going to want to get there, start the development of our lunar base,” Isaacman said. “There’s an awful lot to learn on the moon, and it’s something we should be working on as we develop our deep space capabilities.”

Isaacman, confirmed on December 17 as NASA’s 15th administrator, brings a unique background to the role. A billionaire entrepreneur and close collaborator with SpaceX, he previously commanded the Inspiration4 mission, making him the first NASA administrator in decades to come directly from outside government. His appointment aligns with President Trump’s broader push to accelerate American leadership in space and reduce bureaucratic inertia.

According to Isaacman, the upcoming lunar flyby would be the first such mission since 1972, restoring a capability the United States once dominated but allowed to lapse for decades. He also outlined plans targeting a crewed moon landing by 2028, paired with early infrastructure development to support a permanent or semi-permanent lunar presence.

Beyond exploration, Isaacman highlighted the moon’s strategic and scientific value. Resources such as helium-3 could play a future role in fusion energy, while lunar operations would serve as a proving ground for propulsion systems, life-support technologies, and logistics needed for eventual missions to Mars.

Isaacman’s remarks underscore a shift toward urgency and ambition at NASA, positioning space exploration as both a national priority and a strategic asset. If the timeline holds, the United States is poised to reclaim a leadership role in human spaceflight — not just by returning to the moon, but by staying there and pushing beyond.