NASA Breaks Long-Standing Rule Astronauts Allowed to Bring Personal Smartphones to Orbit and Beyond

Moon Selfies Incoming: NASA Permits Smartphones for Crew-12 and Artemis II Missions.

In a historic shift in policy, NASA has officially granted permission for its astronauts to carry personal smartphones into space for the first time. This new era of connectivity begins with the crews of the upcoming Crew-12 mission to the International Space Station (ISS) and the highly anticipated Artemis II lunar flyby.

From Earth to the Moon: A New Perspective

• Crew-12: Scheduled for launch next week, these astronauts will be the first to test their mobile devices within the ISS environment.

• Artemis II: This mission marks a monumental milestone as humans orbit the Moon for the first time in over half a century. With personal smartphones on board, the world can expect to see high-definition, "candid" shots of the lunar surface captured through modern mobile lenses.

Why the Delay? Safety First

Historically, NASA has been extremely cautious about introducing the latest consumer technology into space. The primary concern has always been mission safety, as unshielded electronics could potentially interfere with sensitive spacecraft systems or create unforeseen hazards. While SpaceX has allowed smartphones on its private civilian missions for some time, this marks the first time NASA has integrated them into official government-led missions.

Even though they are personal mobile phones, NASA must put them through radiation hardening tests because cosmic rays outside the atmosphere can damage pixels in camera sensors or cause software to "freeze" more easily than on Earth.

In a vacuum or low-pressure environment, lithium-ion batteries are more susceptible to swelling or exploding (thermal runaway). Therefore, smartphones taken up on the moon must pass high safety standards certified by NASA engineers.

It is expected that astronauts will use special applications developed by NASA to help calculate star positions (star charting) or to communicate with family via the Orion spacecraft's new high-speed communication system.

This permission is part of a public engagement strategy. Seeing "TikTok" clips or "Instagram" photos from astronauts on the moon could greatly stimulate interest in the space program among younger generations. 

 

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Source: TechCrunch