Earlier this year, NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman confirmed that astronauts on the Artemis II mission will be allowed to “fly with the latest smartphones.” Now, the new York Times Here’s what it took to make it happen.
No connectivity, only photos and videos
Right now, the four iPhone 17 Pro Max are hurtling toward the moon at about 25,000 miles per hour.
And although this isn’t the first time an iPhone has gone on a space mission, Artemis II is the first time NASA has given each crew member an iPhone so they can take photos and video.
Apple said it was not involved in NASA’s process for approving iPhones for the Artemis II mission. The company said the mission was the first time an iPhone was fully qualified for extended use in orbit and beyond.
In fact, taking photos and videos is something almost all devices can do, as NASA has confirmed. many times That they “cannot connect to the Internet or use Bluetooth.”
But clearing them for flight was no mean task, According to the report: :
“Typically, there are four steps to the process,” said (BioServe Space Technologies assistant research professor Tobias Niederwieser). The first introduces the piece of hardware to a security panel. The second identifies potential hazards to the hardware, ranging from moving parts to materials like glass that could break. The third develops a plan to deal with such hazards. The fourth proves that the plan works.
The iPhone 17 Pro Max has Ceramic Shield 2 on the front and Ceramic Shield 2 on the back. According to Apple, Ceramic Shield 2 is “tougher than any smartphone glass.”
But breakage wasn’t the only aspect NASA had to consider NYT report: :
This procedure is for the safety of both the crew and the spacecraft, he said. In microgravity “in a completely sealed capsule”, when the effects of gravity are reduced so much that things appear weightless or in free fall, the hardware will operate under very different conditions than on Earth. Case in point: NASA discussed using Velcro to mount phones in the Orion capsule, the agency said. Before launch, at least one phone was zipped into a leg pocket on a flight suit.
You can see the iPhone 17 Pro Max being packed into astronaut Jeremy Hansen’s suit in the video below:
Despite their specific role, the four iPhones aren’t the only cameras onboard. The crew has access to four GoPro Hero 11 cameras and two Nikon D5 bodies, one of which captured this striking image of Earth illuminated by the full moon:
It remains to be seen whether the Artemis II crew will capture equally stunning photos and videos with their iPhones.
To preserve what astronauts share, follow this link.
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