Apple’s iPhone 17 Pro Max recently appeared in an unexpected setting. Astronauts aboard NASA’s Artemis Moon Mission casually tossed the device in a zero-gravity environment. These visuals quickly gained a lot of attention online. They show the phone floating freely inside the spacecraft while the crew relaxes. Now, NASA has shared actual photos from its latest trip. We finally get a clear look at Earth from an iPhone 17 Pro Max.
Astronauts are snapping selfies in deep space with an iPhone
Astronauts Christina Koch and Reid Wiseman used the front cameras of the iPhone 17 Pro Max to capture pictures of Earth. Their ship was flying away at thousands of miles per hour. NASA says the crew is using the phone for documentation. It operates alongside older gear like a 2016 Nikon camera. The crew sticks the phones to the cabin walls with Velcro to keep them safe.
This keeps the devices completely in place while everyone works. The crew will soon fly much closer to the moon. They will capture even more detailed shots of the lunar surface. This current mission is a huge step for space exploration.
There are strict rules for phones on board the spacecraft
Before Apple could send its newest phone into space, serious testing happened (via Apple Insider). NASA ran safety checks to completely prevent broken glass hazards. Even though the device is on board, heavy limits apply. The phone cannot do everything it normally does back home. NASA strictly blocks it from Wi-Fi and the regular internet. Bluetooth connections are also entirely restricted during the long trip.
It only functions as a basic camera right now. The crew just records high-altitude photos and videos. They are traveling over 250,000 miles away from our planet. This is the highest altitude an iPhone has ever reached. We are excited to see what images come next.
