CosmosObservatory
Explore
Solar System
Live
Learn
Tools
About
Cosmos Observatory
ToolsAbout
Cosmos Observatory

Explore the universe through NASA data, real-time ISS tracking, Mars rover imagery, asteroid monitoring, and comprehensive space encyclopedia. Your gateway to the cosmos.

Explore

  • APOD
  • Mars Rovers
  • Earth Imagery
  • NASA Gallery
  • ISS Tracker

Data

  • Asteroids
  • Solar System
  • Exoplanets
  • Space Weather
  • Launches

Tools

  • Glossary
  • News
  • Calculators

Legal

  • About
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use
  • Space Tools
  • Contact

Stay updated with the cosmos

Get weekly digests of APOD highlights, upcoming launches, and space events.

© 2026 Cosmos Observatory. All rights reserved. Built with for space enthusiasts.

This website is not affiliated with, maintained, authorized, endorsed by, or in any way officially connected with NASA or any of its subsidiaries or affiliates. All NASA imagery is in the public domain unless otherwise noted. Data sourced from NASA Open APIs, Launch Library 2, and other open data services.

NASA Gallery

Explore NASA's vast collection of space images, videos, and audio from missions past and present.

  1. Home
  2. /
  3. NASA Gallery

NASA's Image and Video Library: A Visual Archive of Space Exploration

NASA's Image and Video Library is one of the most comprehensive public archives of space imagery in the world, containing over 140,000 images, videos, and audio recordings spanning more than six decades of space exploration. From the earliest Mercury and Gemini missions through the Apollo Moon landings, the Space Shuttle era, and today's cutting-edge observations from the James Webb Space Telescope, this collection documents humanity's journey into the cosmos.

The library includes imagery from diverse sources: telescopes like Hubble and Webb that capture deep-space nebulae, galaxies, and exoplanets; planetary missions like the Mars rovers ( browse Mars photos) and Cassini at Saturn; Earth observation satellites ( see EPIC imagery); astronaut photography from the ISS; and documentation of rocket launches, spacecraft assembly, and ground testing. Most NASA images are in the public domain and free to download at full resolution for educational, editorial, and personal use.

Use the search bar above to find specific subjects — try queries like "Apollo 11," "Hubble Deep Field," "Mars surface," or "astronaut EVA." You can also filter by media type (image, video, or audio). For a daily curated experience, visit the Astronomy Picture of the Day.

Showing results for "1981"

362 results found - Page 1 of 16

NASA image: 2010-1981
Image
Mar 1, 2010

2010-1981

STS-131 TCDT - CREW ARRIVAL

KSC
NASA image: KSC-2013-1981
Image
Apr 15, 2013

KSC-2013-1981

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – In the Operations and Checkout Building OandC at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, Dan...

KSC
NASA image: The Space Shuttle Columbia on Rogers Dry lakebed at Edwards AFB after landing to complete its first orbital mission on April 14, 1981
Image
Apr 14, 1981

The Space Shuttle Columbia on Rogers Dry lakebed at Edwards AFB after landing to complete its first orbital mission on April 14, 1981

The Space Shuttle Columbia on Rogers Dry lakebed at Edwards AFB after landing to complete its first orbital mission...

AFRC
NASA image: The Space Shuttle Columbia on Rogers Dry lakebed at Edwards AFB after landing to complete its first orbital mission on April 14, 1981
Image
Apr 14, 1981

The Space Shuttle Columbia on Rogers Dry lakebed at Edwards AFB after landing to complete its first orbital mission on April 14, 1981

The Space Shuttle Columbia on Rogers Dry lakebed at Edwards AFB after landing to complete its first orbital mission...

AFRC
NASA image: The Space Shuttle Columbia on Rogers Dry lakebed at Edwards AFB after landing to complete its first orbital mission on April 14, 1981
Image
Apr 14, 1981

The Space Shuttle Columbia on Rogers Dry lakebed at Edwards AFB after landing to complete its first orbital mission on April 14, 1981

The Space Shuttle Columbia on Rogers Dry lakebed at Edwards AFB after landing to complete its first orbital mission...

AFRC
NASA image: Volunteers for the National Football Leagues Player's Association
Image
Aug 21, 1981

Volunteers for the National Football Leagues Player's Association

Samuel J. Scott, Administrative Operations Specialist, Acquisition Division; Mary W. Jackson, Federal Women's...

LRC
NASA image: Launch views of the Columbia for the STS-1 mission, April 12, 1981
Image
Apr 12, 1981

Launch views of the Columbia for the STS-1 mission, April 12, 1981

S81-30463 (12 April 1981) --- The space shuttle Columbia rises off Pad 39A a few seconds past 7 a.m. (EST) on April...

JSC
NASA image: Launch views of the Columbia for the STS-1 mission, April 12, 1981
Image
Apr 12, 1981

Launch views of the Columbia for the STS-1 mission, April 12, 1981

S81-30462 (12 April 1981) --- The space shuttle Columbia rises off Pad 39A a few seconds past 7 a.m. (EST) on April...

JSC
NASA image: ARC-1981-A78-9178
Image
Sep 29, 1981

ARC-1981-A78-9178

Photograph by Pioneer Venus Venus image 0007

ARC
NASA image: ARC-1981-AC81-0787
Image
Dec 8, 1981

ARC-1981-AC81-0787

Artist: Paul Hudson Pioneer Venus Orbiter expected to orbit the planet from 1978 to 1992 when the spacecraft will...

ARC
NASA image: ARC-1981-AC81-0523
Image
Aug 20, 1981

ARC-1981-AC81-0523

ER-2 (NASA-706) in flight. (Lockheed C81-1197-13)

ARC
NASA image: ARC-1981-AC81-0174
Image
Mar 20, 1981

ARC-1981-AC81-0174

Artist: Ken Hodges Composite image explaining Objective and Motivation for Galileo Probe Heat Loads: Galileo Probe...

ARC
NASA image: ARC-1981-A81-7064
Image
Aug 20, 1981

ARC-1981-A81-7064

This photograph is a Voyager 2 image of one of the moons of Saturn.

ARC
NASA image: ARC-1981-AC81-7070
Image
Nov 12, 1981

ARC-1981-AC81-7070

Saturn and it's rings, with callouts, as photographed by Voyager 2

ARC
NASA image: ARC-1981-AC81-7069
Image
Nov 12, 1981

ARC-1981-AC81-7069

Saturn and it's rings, with callouts, as photographed by Voyager 2

ARC
NASA image: KSC-2009-1981
Image
Mar 8, 2009

KSC-2009-1981

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Astronaut Steve Swanson, a mission specialist for space shuttle Discovery's STS-119 mission,...

KSC
NASA image: ARC-1981-AC81-7066
Image
Aug 25, 1981

ARC-1981-AC81-7066

Resolution : 1 km. ( .6 miles ) Region Shown : 100 km. ( 60 miles ) P-24068C This computer generated photograph was...

ARC
NASA image: ARC-1981-AC81-7065
Image
Aug 23, 1981

ARC-1981-AC81-7065

Range : 2.3 million km. ( 1.4 million miles ) P-24067C This Voyager 2 photograph of Titan, a satellite of Saturn,...

ARC
NASA image: ARC-1981-AC81-0615
Image
Sep 23, 1981

ARC-1981-AC81-0615

Composite Art C-141 KAO Airborne Astronomy Composite shows A/C AC80-0006-2, Venus AC78-9140, Jupiter AC79-0143-1,...

ARC
NASA image: ARC-1981-A78-9169
Image
Sep 29, 1981

ARC-1981-A78-9169

Photograph by Pioneer Venus Venus image 0694

ARC
NASA image: ARC-1981-AC81-7067
Image
Aug 25, 1981

ARC-1981-AC81-7067

Resolution : 2 km. ( 1.2 miles ) P-24069C In this computer generated photograph, created from a cross section of...

ARC
NASA image: ARC-1981-A81-0174
Image
Mar 1, 1981

ARC-1981-A81-0174

(P-19180) Galileo Probe descending into Jupiters atmosphere (artwork)

ARC
NASA image: KSC-2014-1981
Image
Mar 20, 2014

KSC-2014-1981

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. – The Delta first-stage booster for NASA's Orbiting Carbon Observatory-2 mission,...

KSC
NASA image: ARC-1981-AC81-0712
Image
Nov 5, 1981

ARC-1981-AC81-0712

Cray 1S computer N-233A rm-190

ARC
PreviousPage 1 of 16Next

Frequently Asked Questions About NASA Images

Are NASA images free to use?+
Yes, most NASA images are in the public domain and are free to use for educational, informational, and personal purposes. NASA's media usage guidelines state that NASA material is not copyrighted unless otherwise noted. However, the NASA logo and certain insignia are protected. Some images may include identifiable individuals or third-party content that requires additional permissions. Always check the specific image's usage rights and credit NASA as the source.
How many images does NASA have?+
NASA's Image and Video Library contains over 140,000 publicly accessible images, videos, and audio files spanning the agency's entire history, from the Mercury program of the 1960s to the latest James Webb Space Telescope discoveries. The collection grows daily as new missions capture imagery and archival materials are digitized. Individual mission archives, such as Mars rover photos, contain hundreds of thousands of additional images.
Can I download NASA images?+
Yes, you can download NASA images in multiple resolutions directly from this gallery. Each image detail page provides download links for original (full resolution), large (1920px), medium (960px), small (480px), and thumbnail sizes. NASA encourages the public to use these images for education, media, and personal projects. High-resolution originals are ideal for printing and professional use.

Explore More NASA Content

Astronomy Picture of the Day

Daily curated space image

Mars Rover Photos

Curiosity & Perseverance images

Earth from Space

DSCOVR EPIC daily images

Launch Schedule

Upcoming rocket launches

Space News

Mission updates & discoveries