History was made when the human race went further from Earth than ever before on board the Artemis II -- and some are seeing it as a major opportunity for one company.
The Orion spacecraft successfully lifted off on April 1 with NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, and Christina Koch, and Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen on board, passing the record for human spaceflight's farthest distance at 252,756 miles from Earth.
The crew has been in almost-constant contact since liftoff, and have shared jaw-dropping photos from space and the far side of the moon, including the astronauts' view of our planet from their new vantage point.
On Threads, user Marques Brownlee (@mkbhd) pointed out one stunning detail that could be a major marketing point for Apple: that NASA astronauts took selfies from space, with the Earth in magnificent detail below, using an iPhone.
Brownlee wrote that it could be "the greatest missed opportunity in marketing history if Apple doesn't have a billboard of these saying 'Shot on iPhone'."
Brownlee said that NASA astronauts Commander Reid Wiseman and Mission Specialist Christina Koch had uploaded the photos, which were taken "on an iPhone 17 Pro Max SELFIE camera," and added: "What a layup!"
The iPhone 17 Pro, which retails at more than $1,000, is described on the Apple website as "the most powerful iPhone models ever made," promising an ultrawide camera with up to eight times optical-quality zoom, 48-megapixel rear cameras, and a 56 percent larger sensor, with the ability to take sharp and detailed images even in darkened rooms.
Brownlee's post had a major reaction, with more than 8,500 likes, as one user said: "As soon as I saw them tossing the thing across the ship I knew that huge billboard on the BQE [Brooklyn-Queens Expressway] at Cadman Plaza was getting a photo of the far side of the moon."
"This is so awesome," another said, while a third called it "free publicity for Apple."
It also started an interesting discussion about marketing, with user @lukehurd pointing out that NASA is a government entity, and each photo is considered open domain, but he doesn't believe this would count as an "official photo" -- meaning Apple would have to contact the astronaut "and then get permission to use her photo" for any advertising.
The user went on to predict: "Just give it a little time."
Others didn't like the idea of the image being used for advertising, with one writing that "not everything needs to be an ad," and another agreeing "we don't need to monetize and run everything through a capitalism filter."
And, reflecting modern trends, a third said: "I don't think they need to...The 'billboard' is the fact that people on social media with a lot of followers keep talking about it. Why pay for what would definitely be less coverage when the free coverage it's getting now is a lot?"
Reacting to the mission, Lori Glaze, acting deputy associate administrator for Exploration Systems Development Mission Directorate at NASA Headquarters in Washington, said: "At NASA, we dare to reach higher, explore farther, and achieve the impossible. That's embodied perfectly by our Artemis II astronauts -- Reid, Victor, Christina, and Jeremy. They are charting new frontiers for all humanity.
"Their dedication is about more than breaking records -- it's fueling our hope for a bold future. Their mission is carrying our promise to return to the Moon's surface, this time to stay as we establish a Moon Base."