kids encyclopedia robot

Jared Isaacman facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts
Quick facts for kids
Jared Isaacman
Jared Isaacman (cropped).jpg
Isaacman in 2022
Born (1983-02-11) February 11, 1983 (age 41)
Union, New Jersey, U.S.
Title
  • Founder and CEO of Shift4
  • Founder of Draken International
Spouse(s) Monica Isaacman
Children 2
Space career
Commercial astronaut
US - FAA Astronaut Wings version 2.png
Time in space
19 days, 13 hours, 4 minutes [refresh]
(currently in space)
Total EVAs
1
Total EVA time
32 minutes
Missions
Mission insignia
Inspiration4 icon Logo_of_Polaris_Dawn

Jared Isaacman (born February 11, 1983) is an American entrepreneur, pilot, philanthropist, and commercial astronaut. He is the founder of Draken International, a private air force provider and the founder and CEO of Shift4 Payments, a payment processor. As of September 2024, his estimated net worth is US$1.9 billion.

Isaacman was the commander of Inspiration4, a private spaceflight using SpaceX's Crew Dragon Resilience, launched from Kennedy Space Center in Florida on September 16, 2021. The crew returned to Earth on September 18, 2021, after orbiting at 585 km (364 mi) in altitude. The mission was part of a fundraiser for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, to which Isaacman pledged to donate $100 million.

Isaacman is commanding the Polaris Dawn mission, the first private spaceflight in a series of missions named the Polaris Program. During this mission, on 12 September 2024, Isaacman became the first person to perform a commercial spacewalk.

Early life

Jared Isaacman was born on February 11, 1983, to Donald and Sandra Marie Isaacman, the youngest of four children. His siblings include brothers Marc and Michael, and sister Tiffany.

Career

Business

In 1999, Isaacman founded a retail payment processing company named United Bank Card, which was later renamed Harbortouch, a point-of-sale payment company based in Pennsylvania. He was the founding CEO, and retained that role in 2015 with the company having "been profitable for over a decade [while processing] US$11 billion a year from 60,000 merchants, generating US$300 million in revenues." By 2020, the company had been renamed Shift4 Payments, Isaacman remained CEO, and the company was processing US$200 billion in payments annually.

In 2012, he co-founded Draken International, a Florida-based company that trains pilots for the United States Armed Forces. The company operates one of the world's largest fleets of privately owned fighter jets.

Pilot

He is flight qualified in multiple military jet aircraft. Isaacman has performed in airshows with his Black Diamond Jet Team that he co-founded in 2010.

In 2008, he made a first attempt to set a new world record for circumnavigating the globe in a light jet, falling short by traveling around the world in 83 hours, just beyond the existing record of 82 hours. The record attempt was a fundraising event for Make-A-Wish Foundation.

In April 2009, on his second attempt, he set a world record for circumnavigating the globe in a light jet, making the flight in 61:51:15, about 20 hours faster than the previous record of 82 hours. The world record attempt was made as a fundraising event for Make-A-Wish Foundation of New Jersey. He flew a Cessna Citation CJ2 with two other crew members, skipping stops in India and Japan, where he encountered hours-long ground delays in his previous attempt in 2008.

Spaceflight

Inspiration4

Inspiration4 Launch (210915-F-CG053-1004)
Inspiration4 launch carrying Jared Isaacman.

In February 2021, Isaacman announced that he would serve as commander of Inspiration4, the first private human spaceflight in which none of the people aboard were from a government agency. The mission was operated by SpaceX, on board an autonomous Crew Dragon spacecraft launched by a Falcon 9 launch vehicle.

Isaacman received the call sign "Rook" during flight training.

In August 2021, the crew of Inspiration4, including Isaacman, was featured on the cover of a Time magazine double issue.

On September 15, 2021 (UTC), Inspiration4 launched and achieved orbit. The mission splashed down 3 days later.

During the Inspiration4 mission, Isaacman made history by making the first-known sports bet from space, placing two bets on NFL football with the BetMGM Sportsbook, while over Las Vegas.

Polaris Dawn

Isaacman is currently commanding the Polaris Dawn mission, which is part of a crewed spaceflight program called the Polaris program. The crew consists of Jared Isaacman, Kidd (Scott) Poteet, Sarah Gillis, and Anna Menon, who have risen to a record-breaking apogee of 1400 km and later lower to a 700 km apogee. The crew completed a multi-hour EVA on September 12, 2024 with all crew exposed to the vacuum of space, although Isaacman and Sarah Gillis were the only two that exited the spacecraft. Over the 5-day flight, the crew will perform about 40 different science experiments and provide more insight into life in space. The crew will also complete the first crewed demonstration of Starlink laser communication in space. On day 5, the crew will prepare for reentry and head home.

Personal life

Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-29UB (7-28-2023)
Isaacman's MiG-29UB performing at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh in 2023.

In 2004, Isaacman began taking flying lessons. In 2009, he set a world record for circumnavigating the globe. He received a bachelor's degree in professional aeronautics from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in 2011.

He is Jewish, although he has stated that he is not religious.

He is married and has two daughters. Isaacman has been a resident of Washington Township, New Jersey.

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Jared Isaacman para niños

  • Countdown: Inspiration4 Mission to Space (2021 Netflix documentary series)
kids search engine
Jared Isaacman Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.