Here's Why Astronauts On Moon Mission Have iPhones Inside Their Spacesuits

Excitement peaked at the Kennedy Space Center on Wednesday as four astronauts boarded a massive NASA rocket for a mission that hasn't happened in more than 50 years: a crewed flyby of the Moon. Space enthusiasts watched closely as the countdown led to liftoff that marked the start of NASA's Artemis 2 mission.

Before the launch, NASA teams placed iPhones inside the astronauts' suits. A short video shared online shows the crew in their bright orange suits with blue trim being fitted with the devices. This marks the first time NASA has allowed smartphones aboard a crewed spacecraft.

New iPhones are being packed into the suits of the Artemis II Crew!

There is something very familiar about the iPhone look that will make the Moon feel accessible, we are literally going to see the lunar surface through the same lens we use to capture our own lives every day. pic.twitter.com/sDDM5NSRMX

— Owen Sparks (@OwenSparks) April 1, 2026

The astronauts on this historic journey are Americans Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch and Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen. The phones will let them capture personal moments and take high-quality photos during the trip around the Moon.

NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman, who introduced the new policy earlier this year, said, "We are giving our crews the tools to capture special moments for their families and share inspiring images and videos with the world."

Bethany Stevens, a NASA spokesperson, added: "This is a first for us, although it has been done safely aboard commercial space flights for around a decade now."

After take-off, Artemis launch director Charlie Blackwell-Thompson spoke directly to the crew, saying, "Reid, Victor, Christina and Jeremy: On this historic mission, you take with you the heart of this Artemis team, the daring spirit of the American people and our partners across the globe, and the hopes and dreams of a new generation. Good luck. God speed Artemis 2. Let's go."

Artemis 2 Mission

The astronauts' nearly 10-day mission will take them around the Moon without landing. They will start by performing a series of checks to make sure the spacecraft is safe and reliable. They will also practice manual piloting during docking simulations to test the spacecraft's capabilities.

If all goes as planned, this mission will take humans farther from Earth than anyone has gone in more than 50 years. The crew will test every part of the spacecraft and gather data that will help NASA plan future missions.

Artemis 2 is the first crewed test flight of NASA's Artemis program, which follows the Apollo missions, and it is the first time in 53 years that astronauts will travel around the Moon beyond Earth's orbit.