- NASA formally approves personal smartphones for government missions starting with Crew-12
- Artemis II will carry consumer phones alongside traditional spaceflight imaging equipment
- Accelerated hardware approval marks a procedural change within NASA operations
NASA has confirmed that its astronauts will now be allowed to carry personal smartphones on crewed missions, starting with Crew-12 and the delayed Artemis II flight.
Crew-12 is scheduled to travel to the International Space Station in mid-February 2026, while Artemis II is now expected to launch in March.
The policy change allows astronauts to use modern iPhone and Android devices during missions, marking a shift away from NASA’s long reliance on agency-issued cameras.
Policy change expands crew access to personal hardware
NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman said the decision was driven by a desire to give crews more flexible tools to document their experiences and share images and videos with the public.
“We’re giving our teams the tools to capture special moments for their families and share inspiring images and videos with the world,” Isaacman wrote on X.
NASA leadership framed the move as more than cultural, and the agency had to accelerate approval of modern consumer hardware for spaceflight.
They maintain that the same urgency will support future scientific research in orbit and on the lunar surface.
Rapid adoption of capable hardware could matter more than strict adherence to legacy procedures.
“Just as important, we challenged long-standing processes and qualified modern hardware for spaceflight on an accelerated timeline,” Isaacman added.
“That operational urgency will serve NASA well as we conduct the highest-value science and research in orbit and on the lunar surface.”
Until now, astronauts have relied heavily on Nikon DSLR cameras and GoPros, many of which were designed years ago, and while those devices are still capable, they lack the immediacy and versatility of modern smartphones.
The smartphones combine advanced sensors, image stabilization, ultra-wide-angle lenses and video features into a single device that astronauts already know how to use.
NASA believes familiarity can allow crews to capture more spontaneous moments without disrupting scheduled mission tasks or relying on specialized equipment.
With smartphones available, future missions can generate many more informal images and videos than previous expeditions.
The change increases the likelihood of more frequent updates from orbit and deep space, which could make the upcoming missions among the most documented in NASA history.
However, the agency has not set specific limits on the creation of personal content, although mission security rules still apply.
Smartphones have flown to space before, including on private SpaceX missions, so the concept isn’t entirely new, but what’s different is that NASA formally approves personal devices for flagship government missions.
While the agency describes this as “a small step in the right direction,” it reflects a willingness to reconsider conservative technology rules.
The long-term impact will depend on whether accelerated qualification becomes standard practice or is limited to low-risk hardware, such as personal smartphones.
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