Trump NASA nominee says agency will prioritize Mars mission

WASHINGTON —President Donald Trump's pick to lead NASA will tell senators on Wednesday that the agency will prioritize a Mars mission, while noting that most U.S space programs are over budget and behind schedule.

"We will prioritize sending American astronauts to Mars. Along the way, we will inevitably have the capabilities to return to the moon and determine the scientific, economic, and national security benefits of maintaining a presence on the lunar surface," said Jared Isaacman, a billionaire entrepreneur, in written testimony for his Senate Commerce Committee confirmation hearing on Wednesday.

Reuters reported Monday that Isaacman told Senate staff last week that returning humans to the moon before China sends its own astronauts there is a national imperative. —Reuters