Jared Isaacman took off in a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket on Tuesday—his second trip to space.
Aiming to perform the first private spacewalk and set a post-Apollo altitude record, the billionaire boarded as commander alongside his close friend Scott ‘Kidd’ Poteet, a retired Air Force pilot, and two SpaceX engineers, Anna Menon and Sarah Gillis.
“I wasn’t alive when humans walked on the moon. I’d certainly like my kids to see humans walking on the moon and Mars and venturing out to explore our solar system,” said the 41-year-old, who bankrolled the flight, before liftoff.
The spacecraft, named Resilience, will enter an orbit that takes the crew up to 870 miles (1,400 km) above Earth, surpassing the Earth-orbiting record set during NASA’s Project Gemini in 1966.
Here are 5 things to know about the daredevil billionaire.
Isaacman Left High School at 16
Isaacman is an American entrepreneur, philanthropist, and pilot known for his ambitious ventures in technology, aviation, and space exploration. His net worth is estimated at $1.9 billion, according to Forbes.
But at 16, he left high school in New Jersey to earn his GED and secured a job with a credit card processing firm called Merchant Services, Inc.
“I was lucky to get hired into an industry that was very immature and had a lot of opportunities for improvement,” said Isaacman, who soon left to start his own payments company. He named it United Bank Card, believing it sounded like the name of an established financial institution.
Isaacman holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Professional Aeronautics from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University.
He Is the Founder and CEO of Shift4 Payments
Isaacman’s entrepreneurial journey began at a young age. By 19, he had transitioned from a computer repair business to the world of payments, launching what would eventually become Shift4 Payments.
Under his leadership, the company has grown into a multi-billion-dollar enterprise, processing over $200 billion in payments annually and serving businesses across various industries.
He Has a Passion for Aviation
Beyond business, Isaacman is an accomplished pilot with a deep passion for aviation—particularly its history, “especially World War II,” he recalled.
He mentioned that he “started playing flight simulators as a kid on a computer” and now holds multiple world records for flying, including a speed-around-the-world flight in 2009, which raised money and awareness for the Make-A-Wish Foundation.
His aviation skills and experience were crucial in his next major venture: space.
He Was Part of the Inspiration4 Mission in 2021
In September 2021, Isaacman made headlines by commanding the Inspiration4 mission, a SpaceX Crew Dragon flight that launched four civilians into orbit for three days. The mission, which ultimately raised over $240 million for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, was a groundbreaking achievement in the emerging field of commercial space travel.
Isaacman, who funded the mission, selected three other civilians to join him, representing “leadership,” “hope,” “generosity,” and “prosperity.”
Isaacman Is Married with Two Children
Jared and his wife, Monica (née Chacana), have been together for nearly 20 years but didn’t marry until around 2012. The two grew up in the same town, attended the same middle school, and Monica eventually became the 12th employee at Isaacman’s company.
Speaking about his wife, Jared said, “Monica gets it. She knows exactly what I do in life: I work.”
The couple welcomed their first child, Mila, in 2014, followed by their second daughter, Liv. Jared often shares glimpses of his life with his daughters on social media.