The US Senate has approved the appointment of billionaire investor Jared Isaacman to lead NASA, capping an unusual nomination process where President Donald Trump put his name forward, withdrew it, and then renominated him for the post.

Isaacman, 42, an amateur jet pilot who became the first non-professional astronaut to conduct a spacewalk, is the first NASA administrator in decades to come directly from outside government.

For many, his tenure atop the agency will be judged by one crucial test - whether it can return humans to the Moon ahead of China.

Trump has made clear he wants the US to establish a permanent lunar base to enable resource extraction and to serve as a stepping stone to Mars.

On Wednesday, senators voted by large margin, 67-30, to confirm Isaacman's appointment.

Trump first announced his intent to nominate Isaacman in December 2024, but he withdrew the nomination in May in the middle of a public feud with Elon Musk, an ally of Isaacman.

Musk, one of Trump's largest political donors and the chief executive of SpaceX, had been a regular presence in the Oval Office alongside Trump, but they had a bitter falling out over government spending.

Within days, Trump withdrew Isaacman's nomination, citing a "thorough review of prior associations".

In November, the president re-upped Isaacman's nomination. During a confirmation hearing earlier this month, Isaacman said he embraces Trump's mission to mine the moon. In the current space battle, countries are racing to exploit the lunar surface.

“This is not the time for delay but a time for action because if we fall behind - if we make a mistake - we may never catch up, and the consequences could shift the balance of power here on Earth,” Isaacman told senators.

The billionaire entrepreneur sees bringing in more private sector competition as key to competing in the space race.

His openness to commerical competition could create a conflict with Musk. Last week, Isaacman praised the award of a major contract to Blue Origin, owned by Amazon's Jeff Bezos and a rival of SpaceX.

He has also suggested Nasa should partner more with universities and academic institutions, positioning the agency as a "force multiplier for science".

He indicated he would do whatever it takes to push innovation forward, particularly "if we are on the verge of something extraordinary".

"I will explore every option to get the program to the pad, even funding it myself if that's what it takes to deliver the science," he wrote at one point.

According to Forbes, Isaacman's net worth is estimated at $1.2bn (£894m) made mostly from his payment-processing company and the sale of a firm that trained pilots and operated a private fleet of military aircraft.

The NASA administrator role will be his first job in politics.

He will succeed Sean Duffy, the transportation secretary, who has served as interim NASA chief since July.