NASA’s Artemis 2 has successfully splashed down after completing a daring mission of taking humans around the Moon decades after the last Apollo 17 mission. Amid all the congratulatory messages pouring in, Apple CEO Tim Cook publicly praised the successful return of NASA’s Artemis II mission, highlighting the crew’s breathtaking photographs of Earth and deep space captured on Apple’s iPhone 17 Pro Max devices specially provided for the flight.
In a post on X (formerly Twitter) just hours after the four astronauts splashed down safely off the California coast, Cook wrote, “Congratulations to Artemis II on a successful mission! You captured the wonders of space and our planet beautifully, taking iPhone photography to new heights, and we’re grateful you shared it with the world. Your work continues to inspire us all to think different. Welcome home!”
Social media amazed beyond belief with an iPhone in space
Social media erupted with admiration for the achievement, seeing the same iPhone taking incredible photos in space that they rely on. Users shared side-by-side comparisons of the astronauts’ iPhone shots with the mission’s official imagery, with many declaring “Shot on iPhone just went intergalactic.” This is even more impressive as Apple didn’t participate officially in the mission.
One viral reply featured a crisp Earth-from-space photo captioned simply “Shot on iPhone 17 Pro Max.” Others praised the seamless blend of cutting-edge space exploration and consumer technology, with comments like “Apple has mastered marketing to such a level and that too at $0” and “The next #ShotOniPhone campaign is gonna be WILD.”
Cook’s post has already garnered over 22,000 likes and 350,000 views within hours.
The story of the iPhone that went to space
The Artemis 2 astronauts — Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Jeremy Hansen — were issued custom silver iPhone 17 Pro Max units, which they used to document the journey, including stunning views of Earth from deep space. It was said that the iPhone 17 Pro Max was chosen for its durability against the shattering of glass, which is crucial for a zero-gravity environment.
Artemis 2 marked a major milestone for NASA, testing Orion’s deep-space life support, navigation, and high-speed re-entry systems in preparation for future lunar landings. The crew travelled farther from Earth than any humans since the Apollo era.
As for the iPhone that went to space, Tim Cook and his team had unveiled the handset back in September 2025. The iPhone 17 Pro Max brought along a new design, complete with a highly capable processor and a set of incredibly capable cameras.