NASA has announced that astronauts on upcoming missions, notably Crew-12 and Artemis 2, will be allowed to carry their personal iPhones, a notable shift from the agency's historically strict regulations on what can be taken into space. This policy change was communicated through a tweet by NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman, emphasizing the new flexibility for astronauts to document their missions in their preferred way.

Previously, NASA maintained rigorous restrictions on personal devices due to the unique challenges of space travel. The agency's regulations stem from concerns over the effects of external pressures such as vacuum exposure, microgravity, and various types of space radiation, which could potentially impact electronic equipment differently than on Earth. The process for approving devices for use in space is known to be intricate and lengthy, further complicating astronauts' access to modern technology.

In the past, astronauts were limited to specific NASA-approved cameras, such as a Nikon model from 2016 and GoPro cameras. The new allowance for personal smartphones represents a significant modernization of NASA's protocols and suggests a move towards greater integration of familiar technology into space exploration, potentially enhancing the experiential documentation of missions through personal narratives and social media interactions.