NASA will let astronauts take iPhones to space

NASA astronauts are about to dramatically up the selfie game.

The space agency has decided to allow astronauts to bring the latest smartphones on some flights, including the Artemis II flight that is scheduled to take off next month. Prior to this announcement, NASA has restricted personal devices in space and approved only limited equipment, such as DSLR cameras.

Last week, however, NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman announced, via social media, "We are giving our crews the tools to capture special moments for their families and share inspiring images and video with the world. Just as important, we challenged long-standing processes and qualified modern hardware for spaceflight on an expedited timeline. That operational urgency will serve NASA well as we pursue the highest-value science and research in orbit and on the lunar surface."

It's a move that might seem inconsequential to some, but for NASA, it's a psuh beyond its usual comfort boundaries. Prior to this, the most recent camera allowed on the Artemis II mission was going to be a 2016 Nikon DSLR. Astronauts, for years, have used tablets to talk with family members and connect online.

While it's a first for NASA, private commercial space flight providers have been allowing passengers to carry their smart phones on flights for nearly a decade. Isaacman himself brought one on a SpaceX flight in 2024.

Of course, the Artemis II will offer some scenic backgrounds that commercial flights don't. The flight will send astronauts into lunar orbit, taking them further away from earth than anyone has ever gone. It's a preliminary journey before the company plans to land the Artemis 3 on the lunar South Pole.