ORLANDO, Fla. — NASA recently announced that astronauts will now be permitted to bring their personal mobile phones on all missions to the International Space Station.
NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman shared the policy change on social media.
NASA astronauts will soon fly with the latest smartphones, beginning with Crew-12 and Artemis II. We are giving our crews the tools to capture special moments for their families and share inspiring images and video with the world. Just as important, we challenged long-standing…
— NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman (@NASAAdmin) February 5, 2026
The decision marks a shift in how crew members will document their time in space.
Previously, astronauts were required to leave their personal devices behind and use NASA-approved cameras to take pictures and video.
Isaacman said the move is designed to help crew members maintain connections with their families and the public while stationed in orbit.
“We are giving our crews the tools to capture special moments for their families and share inspiring images and video with the world,” Isaacman said.
The upcoming Crew-12 mission will be among the first to utilize the new policy.
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