Artemis II Crew Captures Deep-Space Photos on iPhone 17 Pro Max
NASA’s Artemis II astronauts have shared striking deep-space photos taken during their Moon mission, and some of the images came from an iPhone 17 Pro Max. The crew also set a new record on Monday for the farthest distance humans have traveled from Earth.
Why the Phone Was Approved
The four-person crew launched from Kennedy Space Center on April 1 aboard Orion for an estimated 10-day lunar mission. Each astronaut carried a silver iPhone 17 Pro Max, marking the first time a consumer Apple device has been approved for a crewed deep-space flight.
The phones are limited to camera use only. NASA disabled Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, internet access, and charging, and the devices are stored in reinforced suit pockets during launch for safety.
How the Images Were Made
Approval for the phone required a careful four-phase safety review. Engineers assessed possible hazards, including shattered glass, then created and tested mitigation plans before clearing the hardware for use.
NASA has already released several photos captured on the devices, including images of Christina Koch and Reid Wiseman looking back at Earth through Orion’s windows. Metadata shows the photos were taken on April 2 with the front camera and later edited in Lightroom Classic. The crew also used the phone’s 8x optical zoom to photograph the rocket’s spent upper stage.
