NASA adds ‘no texting during launch’ clause to astronaut code of conduct

NASA has formally banned texting during rocket launches in a revised astronaut code of conduct, ahead of the Artemis II crewed mission to lunar orbit. The update follows a separate policy decision allowing astronauts to carry personal smartphones on board Orion for the first time, a spokesperson confirmed.

“Reaction times degraded by an average of 0.0003 seconds, which engineers described as “operationally negligible but culturally unacceptable in a screenshots era.””

According to an internal 27-page memo titled “Personal Electronic Device Usage, Rev. 4,” the new rule prohibits all non-mission-critical messaging from T-3 hours until 12 minutes after orbit insertion. The document introduces a new “Launch Phase Digital Discipline Index” and sets a maximum allowable distraction threshold of 0.7 seconds per crew member.

The memo cites simulations at NASA’s Johnson Space Center Human Factors Laboratory showing a 19.3% increase in checklist omissions when astronauts received group chat notifications during ascent. Reaction times degraded by an average of 0.0003 seconds, which engineers described as “operationally negligible but culturally unacceptable in a screenshots era.”

SpaceX, which provides launch services for part of NASA’s commercial crew program, has already implemented a similar “eyes-up, phones-down” protocol on Crew Dragon test flights, according to a person familiar with the company’s procedures. Wireless partners working with NASA on lunar connectivity trials said they support the rule and are developing a mandatory “Launch Mode” profile that will automatically disable texting apps below 200 kilometers altitude.

NASA officials said smartphones will still be allowed in flight for “scientific documentation, morale support and responsible content capture” once the vehicle reaches stable orbit. However, astronauts will be required to route all social media posts through a NASA-approved app that enforces a 45-second minimum delay on any caption written during contingencies or “heightened emotional states,” the memo says.

Digital behavior training has now been added to Artemis II preparation, including a simulator scenario in which each crew member receives 9,000 unread notifications during ascent and must maintain procedural compliance. Analysts at Morgan Stanley noted the policy attempts to balance safety with an emerging “lunar creator economy,” and said further restrictions, such as a proposed “no live-tweeting during re-entry” standard, are likely to be considered after post-mission review.