NASA Artemis II Astronauts Use iPhone 17 Pro Max for Moon Mission—Here's Why

The NASA Artemis II mission is well underway towards the Moon, and it was recently revealed in reports that the space agency chose Apple's iPhone 17 Pro Max to be the smartphone to be used for this trip.

NASA Artemis II Astronauts Use the iPhone 17 Pro Max

According to a report by the New York Times, the iPhone 17 Pro Max is among the smart devices that NASA included in the Artemis II mission's list of tech for astronauts to use.

As of writing, Artemis II, alongside four iPhone 17 Pro Max smartphones, is heading towards the Moon at 25,000 miles per hour and is preparing for its fly-by.

That said, Apple revealed that it was not involved in NASA's decisions and processes that ended up with the selection of the iPhone 17 Pro Max smartphones for this mission. Nevertheless, Apple said that this was the first time that an iPhone had been "fully qualified" for extended use in orbit and around the Moon.

Why the Apple Flagship Was Used in Mission

The Times revealed that NASA's intended use for the iPhone 17 Pro Max smartphones onboard the Orion spacecraft is for astronauts to utilize as cameras during the mission. There are no other functions for the device as it cannot connect to the internet or use Bluetooth, according to NASA.

There are four phases in NASA's selection process, which begins with introducing the hardware to a safety panel, then identifying the potential hazards it brings, like moving parts or shattering glass.

It is followed by the formation of plans to address the hazards, and lastly, proving that the plan works.

NASA also wanted to bring a device that not only protects the crew, but also the spacecraft as it will be kept in a perfectly sealed capsule in microgravity.

Alongside the four iPhone 17 Pro Max, NASA also equipped Artemis II with four GoPro HERO 11 and two Nikon D5 bodies.