The Artemis II mission, which launched early yesterday morning, is currently performing a translunar injection (TLI) for a 4-day journey to the moon. Yesterday, the Integrity space capsule crew performed several critical system checks before TLI could be performed. What caught the eye was the crew using a smartphone to take pictures of the Earth.
In the clear view, the silver iPhone 17 Pro was used to take pictures. Before that, the same phone could also be seen placed in the crew's spacesuit pocket. This makes the iPhone 17 Pro the first smartphone to be carried around the moon.
In February, NASA administrator Jared Isaacman confirmed that the Artemis II crew would be allowed to bring personal smartphones for the Artemis II mission. Recordings inside the Integrity capsule, the lunar surface from the window and throughout the mission will be done using the iPhone 17 Pro they brought.
This is the first time that NASA crews are allowed to carry smartphones. SpaceX and Blue Origin crews have long been given the same permission. NASA's reason for this for a long time is that each piece of equipment must be tested to pass strict mission standards. The first camera on the surface of the moon was a Hasselblad in 1969. Almost 57 years later, the first smartphone to the moon was the Apple iPhone 17 pro.
