Four NASA astronauts currently aboard the Artemis II mission to the Moon have captured stunning images of Earth. Making these pictures even more impressive, they were taking using an iPhone 17 Pro Max, not the latest tech wizardry dreamed up by NASA.
NASA has confirmed that several recently published photographs from the ongoing Artemis II mission were captured using iPhone 17 Pro Max smartphones. The confirmation came through the space agency’s official Flickr page, where three images showing Earth through the windows of the Orion spacecraft capsule were attributed to the Apple devices.
A view of Earth captured by an iphone aboard Artemis II. NASA/Flickr
Each of the four astronauts participating in the mission was equipped with a silver iPhone 17 Pro Max in their suits. The crew also has access to GoPro Hero 11 cameras and Nikon D5 professional cameras during the mission. While many of the widely circulated photographs from the mission have been taken using the Nikon D5 cameras, the latest batch of images released by NASA were confirmed to have been captured with the iPhones.
According to previous reports, Apple was not formally involved in the approval process that led to iPhones being included on the spacecraft. The devices were selected by NASA as part of the equipment provided to astronauts for documenting the historic mission.
Earth as seen from Artemis II. NASA/Flickr
NASA is providing continuous updates on the mission’s progress through its official website, allowing the public to follow along with the historic journey. The space agency has been regularly publishing photographs and other documentation from the mission as the astronauts conduct their planned activities aboard the spacecraft.
The Artemis II crew has had great success with their iPhones, but shaky experiences with other tech. Breitbart News previously reported that the astronauts experienced the same kind of Microsoft Outlook glitches that many Americans experience in the office:
Mission Commander Reid Wiseman reported the Outlook issue to Houston-based mission control approximately seven hours after the historic launch. “I also see that I have two Microsoft Outlooks and neither one of those are working,” Wiseman communicated over dispatch. He followed up with a request for assistance: “If you want to remote in and check the Optimus and those two Outlooks that would be awesome.”
Mission control responded by planning to access the shuttle’s PCD, or personal computing device, remotely to address the malfunction. These specialized tablets serve as essential tools for astronauts, enabling them to handle routine communications with Earth-based personnel and review mission documentation throughout their journey.
The crew has also had multiple problems with the spacecraft’s toilet system:
“It’s an issue with dumping the waste out of the toilet,” Artemis II Flight Director Judd Frieling told reporters Saturday morning. “And so it appears to me that we probably have some frozen urine in the vent line.”
As AP reports, the three Americans and one Canadian will reach their destination Monday, photographing the mysterious lunar far side as they zoom around it before heading back to earth.
It is the first moon-bound crew in more than 53 years, picking up where NASA’s Apollo program left off, however the toilet system is still refusing to cooperate with mysterious “smells” emanating from the facility alongside possibly clogged plumbing.
Follow Breitbart’s coverage of the Artemis II mission here.
