NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman announced Wednesday that NASA astronauts will soon be allowed to fly with the “latest smartphones,” starting with the SpaceX Crew-12 and Artemis II missions over the next few months.
In an email, an Apple spokesperson said this will be the first time an iPhone has been fully qualified for extended use in and out of orbit.
Previously, NASA astronauts were not allowed to have their own personal smartphones on spaceflight, but allowed some approved DSLR cameras and other equipment. With smartphones, Isaacman said astronauts will be able to “capture special moments for their families and share inspiring images and videos with the world.”
It’s not clear exactly which iPhone models were qualified.
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