NASA took this camera gear to space aboard Artemis 2, and you can own it, too!

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Artemis 2 is the first crewed lunar mission in over 50 years, so it's no surprise that the Orion spacecraft is loaded with cameras, 15 mounted on the ship and 17 in the hands of the crew. And, thanks to this photographic equipment, we've been treated to some absolutely stunning Artemis 2 photos.

Skip to the gear and buy your own astronaut-worthy cameras and lenses.

What may shock you is just how down-to-earth most of these cameras have been, with some cameras dating back to 2016! What's going on? Our Senior Manager, Jase Parnell-Brookes, explains.

Article continues below

"Alongside monitoring vital sections of the craft and the Integrity crew themselves, there's an array of on-board camera gear that the astronauts are using to document their mission. The cameras aboard the International Space Station (ISS) have been predominantly Nikon cameras, starting with the Nikon F5 (yes, film!) heading up in 1999, and the Artemis 2 mission follows suit. It may be surprising to many to read that the crew has taken 10-year-old DSLRs with them, the Nikon D5 to be precise.

It's the predecessor of Nikon's last flagship DSLR ever made, the Nikon D6, and with so many more compact mirrorless options available, it might at first seem mad to head to space with this bulkier, heavier model. But when you're heading further from Earth than any human has ever done before, you need to take a tried-and-tested camera to ensure you get those all-important photos sent back home."

Camera gear onboard Artemis 2 and where to buy it

The Integrity crew also has access to Nikon's flagship mirrorless, the Nikon Z9 (read our glowing Z9 review here), to test their viability for future missions (they are much more sophisticated than the D5s). GoPro action cameras also feature, alongside the iPhone 17 Pro Max, for additional photo and video capture.

If it's good enough for a NASA astronaut to take to the moon, it's good enough for you. See below for a full list of their gear with options for the best and cheapest places to buy them.

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Contact me with news and offers from other Future brandsReceive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsorsNikon Z9: $4,997 at Amazon

In our review of the Nikon Z9, we awarded it a huge 4.5/5 stars, and the Artemis 2 crew put it through its paces with an eye to using the Z9 on the surface of the moon.

View DealNikon D5: $3,492 at Amazon

We think Nikon makes some of the best cameras and the Nikon D5 Digital SLR is an oldie but a goodie. The crew of the Artemis 2 have used it to shoot through the Orion's windows.

View DealNikon 80-400mm AF-S Nikkor f4.5-5.6G ED VR Lens : $3,492 at Amazon

NASA paired the Nikon D5 with one of the best used lenses, a 80-400mm Nikkor. The astronauts aboard the Orion have used it for some amazing flyby images.

View DealBest budget for action shotsSave $51GoPro Hero 13: was $430 now $379 at Amazon

We think the GoPro Hero is the best budget camera for action shots. Artemis 2 has several mounted outside the Orion capsule and the crew have used the rest to document daily life.

View DealApple iPhone 17 Pro Max: $1,199 at Apple UK

Reviewing the iPhone 15 Pro Max, we were struck by the quality of its camera, so we can understand why the Artemis 2 astronauts have been using iPhones to capture life aboard Orion.

View Deal

Additional gear used to document the mission:

Nikon 35mm f/2D lens

Nikon Z 14-24mm f/2.8 S lens (used to image at the Space Center)

Nikon AF-S 14-24mm f/2.8 ED lens

Nikon Z 24-70mm f/2.8 S lens

Nikon FTZ II lens mount adapter (this converts older F-mount DSLR lenses to be used on the newer Nikon Z9 Z-mount mirrorless camera) — this is Jase's presumption based on the 35mm f/2D being used in conjunction with the Z9 in space and retaining EXIF data information.

Chris McMullenContributing Writer

Chris is a freelance journalist who, aside from covering games and gaming-related tech, has a taste for horror, sci-fi and the post-apocalyptic. As well as Space.com, you can find his work at The Escapist, GameSpew (where he’s the morning news writer) and more. You can follow him on Twitter @MarmaladeBus.

With contributions from

• Jase Parnell-BrookesManaging Editor, e-commerce

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