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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.

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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 "SPACECRAFT RECOVERY WATER LANDING"

65 results found - Page 1 of 3

NASA image: Astronaut Alan Shepard is rescued by helicopter at end of MR-3 flight
Image
May 5, 1961

Astronaut Alan Shepard is rescued by helicopter at end of MR-3 flight

S88-31376 (5 May 1961) --- Astronaut Alan B. Shepard Jr., pilot of the Mercury-Redstone 3 (MR-3) suborbital...

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NASA image: Apollo 13 crew recovery after splashdown
Image
Apr 17, 1970

Apollo 13 crew recovery after splashdown

S70-35610 (17 April 1970) --- A water level view of the Apollo 13 recovery operations in the South Pacific Ocean....

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NASA image: Skylab 3 Command Module is hoisted aboard prime recovery ship
Image
Sep 25, 1973

Skylab 3 Command Module is hoisted aboard prime recovery ship

S73-36423 (25 Sept. 1973) --- The Skylab 3 Command Module, with astronauts Alan L. Bean, Owen K. Garriott and Jack...

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NASA image: Navy Swimmers Assist - Recovery of Skylab (SL)-3 Command Module (CM) - Pacific
Image
Sep 25, 1973

Navy Swimmers Assist - Recovery of Skylab (SL)-3 Command Module (CM) - Pacific

S73-36401 (25 Sept. 1973) --- A team of U.S. Navy swimmers assists with the recovery of the Skylab 3 Command Module...

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NASA image: Apollo 13 Command Module recovery after splashdown
Image
Apr 17, 1970

Apollo 13 Command Module recovery after splashdown

S70-15530 (17 April 1970) --- Crew men aboard the USS Iwo Jima, prime recovery ship for the Apollo 13 mission, hoist...

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NASA image: GT-7 recovery
Image
Dec 18, 1965

GT-7 recovery

S65-63644 (18 Dec. 1965) --- Crewmen of the aircraft carrier USS Wasp gather on deck to watch the recovery of the...

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NASA image: Astronaut Walter Schirra egresses spacecraft during recovery operations
Image
Oct 22, 1968

Astronaut Walter Schirra egresses spacecraft during recovery operations

Astronaut Walter M. Schirra, Jr., Apollo 7 commander, egresses the spacecraft during recovery operations in the...

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NASA image: Navy frogmen attach flotation collar to Apollo 7 command module
Image
Oct 22, 1968

Navy frogmen attach flotation collar to Apollo 7 command module

U.S. Navy frogmen attach a flotation collar to the Apollo 7 command module during recovery operations in the...

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NASA image: U.S. Navy frogmen participate in Apollo 8 recovery
Image
Dec 27, 1968

U.S. Navy frogmen participate in Apollo 8 recovery

S69-15732 (27 Dec. 1968) --- A U.S. Navy frogman team participates in the Apollo 8 recovery operations. The Apollo...

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NASA image: KSC-2009-2506
Image
Apr 2, 2009

KSC-2009-2506

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – On display at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida is the Orion crew...

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NASA image: KSC-2009-2503
Image
Apr 2, 2009

KSC-2009-2503

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Visitors to the Visitor Complex at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida get a look at the...

KSC
NASA image: Astronaut Alan Shepard onboard helicopter after recovery of Mercury capsule
Image
May 5, 1961

Astronaut Alan Shepard onboard helicopter after recovery of Mercury capsule

S88-31383 (5 May 1961) --- Astronaut Alan B. Shepard Jr., Mercury-Redstone 3 (MR-3) pilot, jokes with doctors while...

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NASA image: Artemis II CMTA Turn Basin Testing
Image
Jan 30, 2023

Artemis II CMTA Turn Basin Testing

Landing and recovery team members secure the Crew Module Test Article (CMTA) in the water at the turn basin in the...

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NASA image: Astronaut Alan Shepard inspects his capsule on U.S. Champlain after recovery
Image
May 5, 1961

Astronaut Alan Shepard inspects his capsule on U.S. Champlain after recovery

S88-31384 (5 May 1961) --- Astronaut Alan B. Shepard Jr., Mercury-Redstone 3 (MR-3) pilot, is pictured near his...

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NASA image: Underway Recovery  Test 7 (URT-7) - Day 2 Activities
Image
Oct 31, 2018

Underway Recovery Test 7 (URT-7) - Day 2 Activities

Small boats used by U.S. Navy divers are lowered into the water in preparation for the dive teams to race out to a...

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NASA image: KSC-2009-2505
Image
Apr 2, 2009

KSC-2009-2505

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – A NASA official talks to visitors at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida...

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NASA image: KSC-2009-2507
Image
Apr 2, 2009

KSC-2009-2507

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – On display at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida is the Orion crew...

KSC
NASA image: KSC-2009-2504
Image
Apr 2, 2009

KSC-2009-2504

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – On display at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida is the Orion crew...

KSC
NASA image: Astronaut Alan Shepard removing space suit on U.S. Champlain after recovery
Image
May 5, 1961

Astronaut Alan Shepard removing space suit on U.S. Champlain after recovery

S88-31382 (5 May 1961) --- Astronaut Alan B. Shepard receives assistance in removing his spacesuit while on the U.S....

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NASA image: Apollo 10 crewmember is pickup by recovery helicopter
Image
May 26, 1969

Apollo 10 crewmember is pickup by recovery helicopter

S69-20621 (26 May 1969) --- A member of the Apollo 10 crew is hoisted into a helicopter from the prime recovery...

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NASA image: Astronaut Alan Shepard on U.S. Champlain after recovery of Mercury capsule
Image
May 5, 1961

Astronaut Alan Shepard on U.S. Champlain after recovery of Mercury capsule

S88-31380 (5 May 1961) --- Astronaut Alan B. Shepard Jr., strides across the deck of the U.S. Navy Carrier Champlain...

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NASA image: Winch Training For URT-7
Image
Sep 5, 2018

Winch Training For URT-7

Orion Landing and Recovery team member John Stirling, with Jacobs, practices using a winch to prepare for Underway...

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NASA image: Winch Training For URT-7
Image
Sep 5, 2018

Winch Training For URT-7

Orion Landing and Recovery team members with Jacobs practice using a winch to prepare for Underway Recovery Test 7...

KSC
NASA image: Winch Training For URT-7
Image
Sep 5, 2018

Winch Training For URT-7

Orion Landing and Recovery team members with Jacobs, practice using a winch to prepare for Underway Recovery Test 7...

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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