NASA iPhone mission: NASA is loosening decades-old technology restrictions by allowing astronauts to fly with modern smartphones, marking a small but symbolic shift in how the agency equips its crews for spaceflight.
“NASA astronauts will soon fly with the latest smartphones, beginning with Crew-12 and Artemis II,” Isaacman said in a post on X. He added that the move will allow crews to capture special moments for their families and share images and video with the public, while also reflecting a broader effort to challenge long-standing processes and qualify modern hardware for spaceflight on an expedited timeline, as per the X post.
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The 10-day mission will carry three American astronauts and one Canadian astronaut on a loop around the moon to test spacecraft systems ahead of a future lunar landing. Artemis II had originally been planned for early February.
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Once aboard the station, Crew-12 will join Expedition 74 and mark the thirteenth crewed flight of SpaceX’s Dragon spacecraft under NASA’s Commercial Crew Program.
Why is NASA allowing astronauts to use smartphones now?
NASA says the change helps crews capture important moments and reflects a push to modernize and speed up hardware approvals.
Which missions will allow smartphones first?
The policy starts with SpaceX’s Crew-12 mission and the Artemis II lunar mission.
NASA Eases Longstanding Tech Rules for Astronauts
NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman announced in a social media X post that astronauts will soon be permitted to carry “the latest smartphones,” starting with the upcoming SpaceX Crew-12 mission and the Artemis II lunar mission.“NASA astronauts will soon fly with the latest smartphones, beginning with Crew-12 and Artemis II,” Isaacman said in a post on X. He added that the move will allow crews to capture special moments for their families and share images and video with the public, while also reflecting a broader effort to challenge long-standing processes and qualify modern hardware for spaceflight on an expedited timeline, as per the X post.
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iPhones Approved for SpaceX Crew-12 and Artemis II Missions
As part of the change, Apple iPhones will travel farther than ever before, circling the moon during NASA’s Artemis II mission, currently scheduled to launch in March, as per a Seeking Alpha report.
Apple iPhones Set to Circle the Moon on Artemis II
The 10-day mission will carry three American astronauts and one Canadian astronaut on a loop around the moon to test spacecraft systems ahead of a future lunar landing. Artemis II had originally been planned for early February.Apple to Provide iPhones Directly to NASA
The iPhones used on the mission will be provided directly to NASA by Apple, as per the Seeking Alpha report. An Apple spokesperson told Macrumors that this will mark the first time the iPhone has been fully qualified for extended use in orbit and beyond.Also read: Binance buys 3,600 Bitcoin after crypto sell-off as BTC USD swings wildly
NASA Says Smartphone Use Is a First for Agency Missions
NASA spokesperson Bethany Stevens told Bloomberg, "This is a first for us, although it has been done safely aboard commercial space flights for around a decade now," as quoted by Seeking Alpha.Crew-12 Mission Launches First With Smartphones
The policy shift will debut even sooner with SpaceX’s Crew-12 mission, set to launch on February 11 aboard a Dragon spacecraft.Crew-12 Astronauts and Mission Details
The six-month mission to the International Space Station will carry four crew members: NASA astronauts Jessica Meir, who will serve as commander, and Jack Hathaway as pilot, along with European Space Agency astronaut Sophie Adenot and Roscosmos cosmonaut Andrey Fedyaev, both serving as mission specialists.Once aboard the station, Crew-12 will join Expedition 74 and mark the thirteenth crewed flight of SpaceX’s Dragon spacecraft under NASA’s Commercial Crew Program.
FAQs
Why is NASA allowing astronauts to use smartphones now?NASA says the change helps crews capture important moments and reflects a push to modernize and speed up hardware approvals.
Which missions will allow smartphones first?
The policy starts with SpaceX’s Crew-12 mission and the Artemis II lunar mission.
