NASA first allowed astronauts to bring smartphones into space, and now they are preparing for the launch of “rails” from the Moon.

NASA changes the rules: smartphones can now fly into space

Aerospace technology is considered the most advanced segment of science, yet everyday consumer gadgets—smartphones and the like—have traditionally not been included in the list of permitted items for flights into outer space. NASA has decided to revise this rule.

* Crew‑12

The crew members of Mission Crew‑12, who will head to the ISS next week, will be able to bring smartphones with them for the first time. This will give the crew more flexible communication and entertainment options, as well as expand the ability to record events while in orbit.

* Artemis II

In March there will be the first crewed flight around the Moon in almost six decades. Expedition participants will be able to use smartphones to take photos and videos, and to work with data. NASA believes that this will make the spacecraft one of the most thoroughly documented in the agency’s history.

* What changed

Previously all photography was done with specialized cameras—Nikon DSLRs, GoPros, etc. The new rule opens the way for widespread use of smartphones, allowing more flexible responses to events during a mission and improving the visual component of reporting.

* History with tourists

The very first use of smartphones in space was not by NASA but by SpaceX tourist flights. Elon Musk’s company allowed its customers to bring mobile devices on their space trips, but these were isolated cases rather than an official agency policy.

Thus, the new rules usher in an era of more “earthly” technology on orbital stations and lunar missions, bringing space closer to everyday life.