Nutella, floating iPhones and Jessica Alba’s cream: Is there covert advertising aboard Artemis II?

The Italian company Ferrero, owner of Nutella, and Honest, the brand founded by actress Jessica Alba, have had an unexpected stroke of luck. A jar of hazelnut‑cocoa spread floating inside the Orion spacecraft and a request from astronaut Christina Koch have drawn attention during the coverage of the Artemis mission to the moon.

Koch asked for help locating one of her personal items among the onboard products. “This one might take some digging,” she said during the NASA broadcast. “I’m looking for a specific community hygiene item that is Honest Lotion.” Her query reached the Hollywood star, who shared her reaction on social media.

The issue has sparked online speculation about whether there is covert advertising on the Artemis mission. In one viral clip from the ship, a jar of Nutella is seen slowly rotating, revealing the logo again and again, before disappearing into the background of the cabin. It was captured at one of the mission’s most anticipated moments — right before the maneuver intended to break the record for the farthest distance humans have ever reached from Earth, set in 1970 by Apollo 13, which made it to 248,655 miles from our planet.

NASA has denied these allegations. NASA press secretary Bethany Stevens said: “NASA does not select crew meals or food in association with brand partnerships.” According to the space agency, the astronauts brought a wide variety of foods on board, including items like macaroni and cheese, steak, and scrambled eggs; as well as foods like broccoli and green beans.

Why is Nutella on the menu?

The list consists exclusively of non-perishable foods, and Nutella could be included. The spacecraft lacks ample storage space and a refrigeration system, so NASA has prioritized products that don’t spoil quickly. “Shelf-stable foods help manage food safety and quality throughout the intended shelf life,” the agency explained in a statement.

What’s more, Nutella meets another requirement: it is easy to store and handle. This prevents waste from entering the equipment. Under microgravity conditions, the hazelnut cocoa cream poses no danger.

Cellphones to capture the Moon

Like holiday snapshots from a slightly unusual trip, Reid Wiseman, Christina Koch, Victor Glover, and Jeremy Hansen have been taking photos while floating beyond Earth’s gravity on this historic spaceflight. And they’ve been doing it with the iPhone 17.

The image of the silver‑colored phone passing from Hansen’s hand to Koch’s was made possible by NASA’s updated policy on electronic devices. The change also allowed a pair of Nikon D5 cameras to be added to the agency’s inventory. “We are giving our crews the tools to capture special moments for their families and share inspiring images and video with the world,” said agency chief Jared Isaacman.

According to Wiseman, taking a photo with an iPhone can be tricky when you’re floating on the far side of the planet. “It’s like walking out back at your house, trying to take a picture of the Moon. That’s what it feels like right now trying to take a picture of Earth,” he told Mission Control during the live broadcast. For Apple, the publicity is priceless.

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