The Artemis II mission is unique for many reasons, but it’s also unique for allowing astronauts to bring iPhones into space.
As reported by The New York Times, NASA gave each astronaut an iPhone while they were in quarantine, which started in March. This doesn’t mean astronauts get to doomscroll 230,000 miles from Earth, however – there are too many tasks to be done to just float around and check Instagram.
Rather, the iPhones are primarily there to allow astronauts to take photos and videos. Some of this content will presumably be used for the documentary on the mission that is currently in the works.
Even if astronauts wanted to open YouTube, they can’t. NASA disabled the iPhone’s ability to connect over cellular, Wi-Fi, or Bluetooth.
As for how the iPhones made it into the Orion spacecraft, they went through the same certification process as any other device used in a NASA-made spacecraft. In short, the process involves a safety panel examining the phone, identifying potential hazards, identifying remedies for those hazards, and making sure the safety plans work.
NASA said this is the first time an iPhone has been approved for use in orbit and beyond orbit. Apple said it was not part of NASA’s approval process.
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