NASA has approved a rule change permitting astronauts to bring smartphones into space for the first time. The policy takes effect on the Crew-12 mission, scheduled to launch to the International Space Station next week. It will also apply to the Artemis II mission, the first crewed lunar flyby since the 1960s, now set for March after a delay.
NASA administrator Jared Isaacman announced the decision on X. “We are giving our crews the tools to capture special moments for their families and share inspiring images and video with the world,” he wrote.
NASA astronauts will soon fly with the latest smartphones, beginning with Crew-12 and Artemis II. 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…
— NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman (@NASAAdmin) February 5, 2026
The approval allows crews to use the latest iPhones and Android phones for spontaneous photos and videos. Astronauts could produce TikTok-style content or ultra-wide-angle selfies in zero gravity, leading to some of NASA’s most documented missions.
Isaacman emphasized the expedited process: “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.”
Previously, the newest cameras for missions were decade-old Nikon DSLRs and GoPro devices, according to Ars Technica. Smartphones enable more spontaneous and whimsical documentation.
The change addresses challenges in approving new technology for spaceflight, where any malfunction risks mission failure. Government bureaucracy typically slows such approvals, but NASA acted quickly this time.
