Tim Cook congratulates Artemis II crew, hails their iPhone photography
What's the story
Apple CEO Tim Cook has congratulated the Artemis II crew on their successful mission and safe return to Earth. He praised the astronauts for their stunning space photography, saying they "took iPhone photography to new heights." The message was shared on X, where Cook expressed his gratitude for the breathtaking images of Earth and Moon captured by NASA and Canadian Space Agency (CSA) astronauts during their lunar mission.
Mission success
More about the historic mission
The Artemis II mission marked a major milestone in NASA's history, being the first crewed mission to travel around the Moon since Apollo 13. The four-member crew splashed down in the Pacific Ocean near San Diego after days of traveling through deep space. This successful return is a key step toward future missions that will land astronauts on the Moon and showed humans can travel beyond Earth's orbit.
Data examination
NASA begins analyzing data and images
Following the safe return of the crew, NASA announced that the scientific phase has begun. Teams in Houston are analyzing data and images collected during the space exploration. These findings will be instrumental in planning future missions, including those targeting the unexplored South Pole region of the Moon. The agency is even examining overexposed and underexposed images of the Moon to glean information about its terrain and environmental conditions.
Tech usage
Crew captured stunning images using an iPhone
The Artemis II crew, which included NASA astronaut Commander Reid Wiseman, pilot Victor Glover, mission specialist Christina Koch and Jeremy Hansen from the Canadian Space Agency, was allowed to take their iPhones on the mission. Some of the stunning images released by NASA were captured using an iPhone 17 Pro Max. This innovative use of technology has drawn a lot of attention and praise from the public.
Twitter Post
Check out Cook's post
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!
— Tim Cook (@tim_cook) April 11, 2026