Early images of the Artemis II launch showed an iPhone floating inside the spacecraft. Here's how Apple's smartphone gained approval for spaceflight. NASA is very strict about items transported into space with astronauts. With the Artemis II mission around the Moon, this marks the first time the agency is allowing the crew to carry iPhones into space. This is a significant matter, as NASA has stringent rules regarding what actually goes into space, along with thorough testing to match. On Friday, the New York Times reported what the iPhone 17 Pro Max had to undergo to be permitted on the rocket. The process is "quite complex and lengthy," according to Tobias Niederwieser, a professor at BioServe Space Technologies. The first of four phases involves passing through the safety panel, conducting initial checks on the device. The second phase addresses potential hazards, such as moving parts or fragile materials like glass. The third phase aims to devise plans to avoid issues raised in the second phase, if possible. The fourth phase then verifies whether the plans from the third phase actually work. Testing iPhones for space use emerged in February and was an unusual shift for NASA. This was the first time an iPhone was qualified for orbit and extended use from Earth. Otherwise, Apple conducts extensive durability tests on its devices and revealed some of the extreme processes in July 2025. However, while tested for drops, extreme temperatures, and even high-intensity light, it doesn't appear that Apple performed any anti-gravity testing. It is reported that the NASA-approved iPhone will not be used in a mission-critical manner. They will be used by astronauts to document the experience and capture important moments.