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NASA Astronauts Can Now Bring Smartphones on Missions

2/19/2026

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Summary

Story summary

NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman announced on X that astronauts will be allowed to bring smartphones on space missions.
The policy will begin with Crew-12 and Artemis II.
Astronauts will use iPhones, with other phones possibly approved later.
The change shifts from older equipment, such as a 2016 Nikon DSLR and GoPros, to smartphones.
The smartphones' cameras may not rival the James Webb Space Telescope, but they will capture significant moments.

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Story summary

NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman announced on X that astronauts will be allowed to bring smartphones on space missions.
The policy will begin with Crew-12 and Artemis II.
Astronauts will use iPhones, with other phones possibly approved later.
The change shifts from older equipment, such as a 2016 Nikon DSLR and GoPros, to smartphones.
The smartphones' cameras may not rival the James Webb Space Telescope, but they will capture significant moments.