Astronauts will now be able to bring modern smartphones on space missions, according to a tweet this week from NASA administrator Jared Isaacman. Isaacman said the policy will begin with SpaceX Crew-12 and Artemis II.

Feb. 6, 2026 © 2026 NBCUniversal Media, LLC

NASA astronauts venturing deeper in space than any human has traveled will be able to document and share images from the landmark moon mission next month using NASA-provided Apple Inc. iPhones.

NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman on Wednesday announced that NASA astronauts will soon be permitted to fly with "the latest smartphones," beginning with the SpaceX Crew-12 and Artemis II missions over the next few months.

Most people wouldn't leave their phones behind when they so much as go for a drive, but NASA astronauts have had to leave their phones on Earth while they went to work 250 miles away at the International Space Station.

On Wednesday night, NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman revealed that the Crew-12 and Artemis II astronauts will be allowed to bring iPhones and other modern smartphones into orbit and beyond. “NASA astronauts will soon fly with the latest smartphones,

Apple (AAPL) iPhones will be journeying where no smartphones have gone before—on a trip around the moon during next month's Artemis II mission by NASA. "NASA astronauts will soon fly with the latest smartphones,

The move is part of Nasa chief Jared Isaacman’s plan to harness private sector firms in a bid to accelerate the agency’s work.