“Shot On iPhone” Goes Intergalactic: Tim Cook Celebrates Artemis II Return

Apple CEO Tim Cook has joined the global celebration of NASA’s Artemis II success, highlighting a unique technical milestone: several of the mission’s most viral images were captured using the iPhone 17 Pro Max.

Following the spacecraft’s splashdown in the Pacific Ocean on Friday, Cook took to X (formerly Twitter) to congratulate the crew and lean into the “Shot on iPhone” narrative that has captivated social media.

“To New Heights”: Cook’s Message to the Crew
Cook’s viral post emphasized the inspiration drawn from the mission’s photography, which showcased both the lunar surface and a distant Earth.

“Congratulations to Artemis II on a successful mission! You captured the wonders of space and our planet beautifully, taking iPhone photography to new heights… Your work continues to inspire us all to think different. Welcome home!”

Smartphones in Deep Space
While NASA equipment typically involves high-end, radiation-hardened cameras, the Artemis II crew—Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Jeremy Hansen—were permitted to carry personal smartphones to document the human side of the journey.

The Hardware: NASA confirmed that the iPhone 17 Pro Max was among the devices used.

The Famous Shot: One of the most celebrated images of the mission—a selfie of Commander Reid Wiseman looking through the Orion window at a “pale blue” Earth—was reportedly captured using the device’s front-facing camera.

The Experience: Commander Wiseman described the difficulty of space photography to Mission Control, noting it felt like “trying to take a picture of the moon from your backyard,” but in reverse.

A Marketing Masterclass?
The mission has inadvertently become what many are calling “the best iPhone advertisement ever.” Social media reactions have been swift, with users noting that the “Shot on iPhone” campaign has officially moved from Earth-bound landscapes to the lunar orbit.

NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman had previously noted in February that providing crews with familiar smartphones allows them to capture “special moments for their families” and share a more personal perspective of space exploration with the world.

Mission Quick-Look