On this week’s Good Day New York (Fox 5 NY), tech expert Shelly Palmer breaks down one of the most fascinating developments in modern space exploration: NASA’s Artemis II mission is powered by everyday consumer technology.

From iPhone 17 Pro Max cameras to Microsoft Surface Pro tablets and GoPro action cameras, astronauts are now using the same devices you can buy at your local Best Buy—while orbiting the moon.

Shelly explains how far we’ve come since the Apollo era, when NASA had to invent specialized tools like the zero-gravity space pen. Today, consumer tech is rugged, powerful, and advanced enough to operate in one of the harshest environments imaginable: deep space.

What does this mean for companies like Apple, Microsoft, and GoPro? And what does it say about the future of innovation?

Key topics covered:

  • Why NASA chose consumer tech for Artemis II
  • How iPhones are being used in space
  • The evolution from Apollo-era technology to today
  • What extreme environments reveal about modern devices
  • Why your smartphone is more powerful than early space program computers

Shelly puts it all in perspective: the technology in your hand today surpasses what powered the original moon missions.

🚀 The future of space exploration is here—and it fits in your pocket.

Original Airdate: April 7, 2026

About Shelly Palmer

Shelly Palmer is the Professor of Advanced Media in Residence at Syracuse University’s S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications and CEO of The Palmer Group, a consulting practice that helps Fortune 500 companies with technology, media and marketing. Named LinkedIn’s “Top Voice in Technology,” he covers tech and business for Good Day New York, is a regular commentator on CNN and writes a popular daily business blog. He's a bestselling author, and the creator of the popular, free online course, Generative AI for Execs. Follow @shellypalmer or visit shellypalmer.com.

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