NASA is preparing to send a crew back toward the Moon for the first time in more than half a century, and this time the astronauts will have iPhones in their flight bags. The agency has approved modern smartphones for use on the Artemis II mission, turning a device most of us keep in a pocket into a sanctioned tool for documenting deep space.
The decision reflects a broader shift in how NASA thinks about technology, storytelling, and even astronaut morale. Instead of relying only on bespoke hardware, the agency is leaning on consumer devices that evolve quickly, shoot cinema-grade video, and help crews stay connected to life on Earth.
Why NASA is finally saying yes to iPhones in deep space
For decades, NASA treated personal gadgets as potential risks, from stray radio interference to flammable materials and the outgassing of gases in a sealed spacecraft. That caution is one reason it took until now for Astronauts on a lunar mission to be formally cleared to carry iPhones, even as smartphones became ubiquitous on Earth. The new rule, described as a historic shift in how NASA handles personal electronics, explicitly allows Smartphones on Artemis II after engineers validated that modern devices can meet safety and electromagnetic compatibility standards inside Orion.
The agency is not simply letting crew members toss their own handsets into a duffel. Reporting indicates that NASA astronauts will use NASA-provided Apple Inc devices, with Apple Inc iPhones selected and configured as part of the official payload rather than as casual carry-ons. That approach lets mission planners control software loads, security settings, and charging hardware, while still giving the crew the familiar interface of a modern smartphone. It also aligns with a broader push inside NASA to tap commercial technology instead of commissioning custom-built gear for every task.
Artemis II: a test flight with a human, and humanizing, twist
Artemis II is the first crewed flight in the Artemis program, a roughly ten day mission that will send four people around the Moon and back as a dress rehearsal for future landings. NASA describes Artemis II as a key step toward a long term return to the Moon and eventual journeys to Mars, with Orion and the Space Launch System being pushed through their paces before anyone attempts a landing. The Artemis II astronauts will not touch the lunar surface, as The Artemis mission profile calls for a looping flyby that stresses life support, navigation, and communications systems in deep space.
Even without a landing, the flight carries enormous symbolic weight as the first time humans have left low Earth orbit since Apollo. Science coverage has underscored that Artemis II is returning humans to the Moon with science riding shotgun, with instruments and experiments sharing space with the crew. Within that context, the addition of iPhones is more than a novelty. It signals that NASA wants this mission to feel immediate and relatable, not just as a technical milestone but as a lived experience that can be shared in near real time with people watching from home.
From bespoke cameras to pocket computers
Until now, NASA has relied on a mix of fixed and handheld cameras that are designed, tested, and certified specifically for spaceflight, often years before launch. As Ars Technica has been cited, before the smartphone decision the newest camera slated to fly on the lunar flyby was a relatively modest unit compared with what ships in a flagship phone, a gap highlighted when As Ars Technica was referenced in analysis of the payload. That lag is a consequence of long development cycles and strict certification, which can freeze camera specs years before launch while consumer devices leap ahead annually.
NASA’s new smartphone rule effectively shortcuts that problem by letting the crew carry devices that already pack multiple lenses, advanced image stabilization, and computational photography tuned by the consumer market. Coverage of the policy shift notes that NASA is fighting requirement bloat by embracing off the shelf hardware instead of layering new custom systems onto an already complex spacecraft. In practice, that means an astronaut can grab an iPhone, shoot stabilized 4K video through Orion’s window, and hand the device to a crewmate in seconds, rather than wrestling with a dedicated camera and mount.
Capturing “special moments” and making spaceflight more human
NASA officials have framed the smartphone move as a way to help astronauts share their journey with both loved ones and the wider public. One agency statement emphasized that “we are giving our crews the tools to capture special moments for their families and share inspiring images and video with the world,” a sentiment echoed in reporting on Ty Pendlebury and his coverage of the policy. The idea is that a quick clip of an astronaut floating in Orion, recorded on a familiar device, can feel more intimate than a polished broadcast from a fixed camera.
That human touch is central to NASA’s outreach strategy. Reports on the new rules highlight that NASA approves the latest smartphones specifically so astronauts can capture special moments in orbit, with “space selfies” singled out as one way to make missions feel “maybe a little more human.” In an era when social media clips can reach millions in minutes, the ability to shoot and package content directly from a phone is not just a perk for the crew, it is a powerful tool for sustaining public interest and political support for long duration exploration.
Safety, certification, and the long road to “yes”
Allowing iPhones into a spacecraft is not as simple as waving them through security. Engineers had to prove that modern smartphones would not interfere with critical avionics, overheat in confined spaces, or shed materials that could contaminate filters. Technical reporting on the new rules notes that iPhones in space had to be evaluated for issues like outgassing and electromagnetic emissions before they could be cleared for flight. That process mirrors the scrutiny applied to laptops and tablets already used on the International Space Station.
There is also a cultural dimension. NASA has historically been wary of anything that might distract astronauts from procedures, especially during critical phases like launch, lunar flyby, and reentry. Analysts who track the agency’s internal debates have pointed out that Ars Technica framed the smartphone decision as part of a broader effort to streamline requirements rather than pile on new restrictions. In practice, that means iPhones will be treated like any other tool on board, with clear rules about when they can be used and for what, but without the blanket bans that kept earlier generations of astronauts from carrying personal electronics.
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*This article was researched with the help of AI, with human editors creating the final content.
