Author: Richard

### The Role of Apple Products in Space Missions

It’s hardly surprising that the iPhone is behind the memorable image of Earth captured during NASA’s Artemis II lunar flyby mission. Nonetheless, the iPhone isn’t the sole Apple device being employed by astronauts in space.

#### AirPods Observed on the International Space Station

As a four-member crew ventures further into space than any human has before, all attention is focused on NASA. NASA astronaut Jessica Meir, currently residing on the International Space Station (ISS), recently posted an interesting workout video that emphasizes the distinctive difficulties of exercising in microgravity.

In her tweet, Meir discussed the significance of regular exercise on the ISS to avert considerable muscle mass and bone density loss, which occurs due to the absence of gravitational forces acting on the body. She referred to the Advanced Resistive Exercise Device (ARED), utilized for strength training in space.

Notably, AirPods have emerged as the preferred headphones for astronauts during their workouts, even while orbiting the Earth at 17,500 mph. The practicality and wireless design of AirPods render them suitable for usage in the limited space of the ISS.

Consider the difficulty of misplacing an AirPod in space; however, the zero-gravity setting might actually lessen the distance they could travel if accidentally tossed, as gravity is what usually causes them to roll away on Earth.

Apple devices, including the iPhone and AirPods, are demonstrating their worth as essential tools for astronauts, improving their communication and workout experiences in the extraordinary environment of space.

Apple has recently revamped its developer website to highlight third-party applications that utilize Liquid Glass, a design language focused on creating natural and adaptive experiences throughout its platforms. This update signifies the second version of Apple’s design gallery for Liquid Glass, following its original debut in November 2025. Since then, a variety of apps have adopted this cutting-edge design technique, with both developers and Apple enhancing its application.

In this latest version of the design gallery, Apple showcases how teams of different sizes are utilizing Liquid Glass to improve user experiences. Among the highlighted applications is Carrot Weather, a distinctive weather app recognized for its witty robot personality. The app has received a visual update, particularly evident in the Radar tab, where the map panning feature has been enhanced. Developer Brian Mueller has optimized the app by minimizing the number of tabs in the bottom toolbar, leading to a more streamlined interface.

Another app gaining attention is Denim, a popular choice for generating playlist art for Apple Music. The app incorporates Liquid Glass design features seamlessly, with toolbar controls that integrate into the dark background. Improvements include upgraded undo and redo buttons and refreshed text labels on the cover art.

Other applications showcased in the Liquid Glass design gallery include Tasks, GoodLinks, AllTrails, and Fantastical, among others. Users can visit Apple’s website to explore the complete design gallery and see how these apps are implementing the Liquid Glass design language.

This initiative underscores Apple’s dedication to nurturing creativity and innovation among developers, encouraging them to embrace contemporary design principles that enhance user engagement across its ecosystem.