NASA Approves Smartphones for Astronauts on Missions

NASA has approved a new policy allowing astronauts to carry personal smartphones on space missions, marking a shift from longstanding restrictions on personal devices. The change, announced by NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman on Wednesday via the social media platform X, will take effect beginning with the Crew-12 mission to the International Space Station next week and extend to the Artemis II lunar flyby scheduled for March 2026.

Under the updated rules, crew members on these flights will be permitted to bring the latest iPhones, Android devices, and similar models into orbit. This enables more spontaneous capture of photos and videos, replacing the agency's previously approved equipment such as a 2016 Nikon DSLR camera and GoPro models that are nearly a decade old. Isaacman emphasized the policy's benefits, stating, "We are giving our crews the tools to capture special moments for their families and share inspiring images and video with the world."

The decision stems from NASA's efforts to streamline its certification processes for modern hardware. Approving new technology for spaceflight requires rigorous testing to ensure it poses no risk to mission safety, where even...