NASA Allows Astronauts to Take Smartphones to Space

Crew-12 and Artemis II missions will be the first to permit latest smartphones aboard

Published on Feb. 9, 2026

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NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman announced that starting with the Crew-12 and Artemis II missions, astronauts will be allowed to take modern smartphones, including iPhones and Androids, to space. This marks a change from previous policies that restricted astronauts from bringing their personal devices on space flights.

Why it matters

The new policy will allow astronauts to more easily capture and share images and video from space, which could help inspire the public and provide useful data for scientific experiments. It also reflects NASA's efforts to adapt to changing technology and give crews more tools to document their experiences.

The details

Under the updated guidelines, the four astronauts selected for the Crew-12 mission to the International Space Station, as well as the four astronauts on the upcoming Artemis II mission around the moon, will be the first to take smartphones with them to space. Previously, the newest camera approved for Artemis II was a 2016 Nikon DSLR.

  • The Crew-12 mission is scheduled to launch at 5:38 a.m. ET on Thursday, February 12, 2026 from Cape Canaveral, Florida.
  • The Artemis II mission is slated for no earlier than March 6, 2026, which will send four astronauts on a 10-day trip around the moon.

The players

Jared Isaacman

NASA Administrator who announced the policy change allowing astronauts to take smartphones to space.

Jessica Meir

NASA astronaut selected for the Crew-12 mission to the International Space Station.

Jack Hathaway

NASA astronaut selected for the Crew-12 mission to the International Space Station.

Sophie Adenot

European Space Agency astronaut selected for the Crew-12 mission to the International Space Station.

Andrey Fedyaev

Russian cosmonaut selected for the Crew-12 mission to the International Space Station.

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What they’re saying

“We are giving our crews the tools to capture special moments for their families and share inspiring images and video with the world.”

— Jared Isaacman, NASA Administrator (X)

What’s next

The judge in the case will decide on Tuesday whether or not to allow Walker Reed Quinn out on bail.

The takeaway

This policy change reflects NASA's efforts to adapt to modern technology and give astronauts more ways to document their experiences in space, which could help inspire the public and provide useful data for scientific experiments.