NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman inspires U of A students to help shape the golden age of space exploration

During the NASA Inspiration Tour at the U of A, students shared the space missions and technologies they’re building and engaged directly with NASA leaders about the opportunities ahead.

More than 650 students and community members filled the Bear Down Building Wednesday as NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman brought the agency’s Inspiration Tour to the University of Arizona, sparking excitement about where America is headed in space and the opportunities for a new generation to help shape it.

“The reputation of the U of A and its optics work is some of the best in the country, and not to mention all of its cameras out there helping us on the James Webb and providing us with unbelievable imagery of the Martian surface,” Isaacman said. “What an absolutely amazing university for contributing to this great mission of discovery.”

Students from Tucson-area high schools, the U of A, Pima Community College and Tohono O’odham Community College engaged directly with Isaacman, asking questions about space debris, black holes and the pace of space missions.

“Above all, we need people with the talent and drive to take on the problems that do look impossible, right up until somebody solves them,” Isaacman said. “That is where we need many of you and many more just like you across America to help us advance humankind even further. We need engineers, we need scientists, we need technicians, entrepreneurs, researchers, operators, explorers. We need astronauts. You are all part of the Artemis generation, and America and NASA are very much back in the moon business.”

Read the full story on research.arizona.edu

Original Post Date: 9.23.2026

Author Credit: Laine Kowalski, U of A Office of Research and Partnerships | University of Arizona

Image Credit: Leslie Hawthorne-Klingler