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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 "Mars Sample Return"

488 results found - Page 2 of 21

NASA image: The Tricky Part
Image
Mar 2, 2004

The Tricky Part

This artist concept of the proposed NASA Mars Sample Return mission shows the entry, descent and landing sequence...

JPL
NASA image: Artist's Concept of Earth Return Orbiter Releasing Capsule containing Martian Samples
Image
Apr 6, 2023

Artist's Concept of Earth Return Orbiter Releasing Capsule containing Martian Samples

The Earth Return Orbiter (ERO) is one of the flight missions making up the Mars Sample Return campaign to bring...

JPL
NASA image: Mars Earth Entry System Aeroshell at Entry (Illustration)
Image
Oct 12, 2022

Mars Earth Entry System Aeroshell at Entry (Illustration)

This illustration depicts the Mars Earth Entry System for the Mars Sample Return campaign. The system would contain...

JPL
NASA image: Roundtrip Ticket To Mars
Image
Mar 3, 2004

Roundtrip Ticket To Mars

This artist concept shows the proposed NASA Mars sample return mission above the red planet.

JPL
NASA image: Martian Samples Leaving Mars Artist Concept
Image
Jun 20, 2011

Martian Samples Leaving Mars Artist Concept

This artist concept of a proposed Mars sample return mission portrays the launch of an ascent vehicle. The solar...

JPL
NASA image: Vehicle for Lofting a Sample Approaches Mars Artist Concept
Image
Jun 20, 2011

Vehicle for Lofting a Sample Approaches Mars Artist Concept

This artist concept of a proposed NASA and European Space Agency collaboration on proposals for a Mars sample return...

JPL
NASA image: Testing Mars Sample Return
Video
Dec 10, 2021

Testing Mars Sample Return

Teams across multiple NASA centers and the European Space Agency are working together to prepare a set of missions...

JPL
NASA image: Testing a Prototype Mars Lander
Image
Aug 10, 2023

Testing a Prototype Mars Lander

Engineer Abel Dizon explains how drop tests are conducted for a prototype lander being designed by NASA's Jet...

JPL
NASA image: Special Delivery from Mars to Earth Artist Concept
Image
Jun 20, 2011

Special Delivery from Mars to Earth Artist Concept

This artist concept of a proposed Mars sample return mission portrays the separation of an Earth entry vehicle,...

JPL
NASA image: Mars 2020 Mars Sample Return Briefing
Image
Jul 28, 2020

Mars 2020 Mars Sample Return Briefing

Jia-Rui Cook with NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory moderates a Mars 2020 Sample Return briefing at NASA’s Kennedy...

KSC
NASA image: Mars 2020 Mars Sample Return Briefing
Image
Jul 28, 2020

Mars 2020 Mars Sample Return Briefing

Thomas Zurbuchen, NASA associate administrator, Science Mission Directorate, participates in a Mars 2020 Sample...

KSC
NASA image: Mars Sample Retrieval Lander-Mars Ascent Vehicle Launch Illustration
Image
Apr 21, 2022

Mars Sample Retrieval Lander-Mars Ascent Vehicle Launch Illustration

This illustration shows a concept for a proposed NASA Mars lander-and-rocket combination that would play a key role...

JPL
NASA image: Mars Sample Return: Bringing Mars Rock Samples Back to Earth
Video
Nov 17, 2022

Mars Sample Return: Bringing Mars Rock Samples Back to Earth

NASA and the European Space Agency are developing plans for one of the most ambitious campaigns ever attempted in...

JPL
NASA image: Vehicle for Lofting a Sample Approaches Mars Labeled Artist Concept
Image
Jun 20, 2011

Vehicle for Lofting a Sample Approaches Mars Labeled Artist Concept

This artist concept of a proposed NASA and European Space Agency collaboration on proposals for a Mars sample return...

JPL
NASA image: On Its Own
Image
Mar 2, 2004

On Its Own

This artist concept of the proposed NASA Mars Sample Return mission shows the orbiter and lander, just after the...

JPL
NASA image: Mars 2020 Mars Sample Return Briefing
Image
Jul 28, 2020

Mars 2020 Mars Sample Return Briefing

A Mars 2020 Sample Return briefing is held at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on July 28, 2020. Participating...

KSC
NASA image: Mars Ascent Vehicle Deploying Sample Container in Orbit (Artist's Concept)
Image
Feb 10, 2020

Mars Ascent Vehicle Deploying Sample Container in Orbit (Artist's Concept)

As part of a Mars sample return mission, a rocket will carry a container of sample tubes with Martian rock and soil...

JPL
NASA image: Fetching Mars Samples
Image
Feb 17, 2021

Fetching Mars Samples

After the NASA Mars 2020 Perseverance rover mission has collected pristine samples of Mars rock and regolith (broken...

JPL
NASA image:  Artist's concept of the Capture, Containment, and Return System
Image
Apr 6, 2023

Artist's concept of the Capture, Containment, and Return System

This artist's concept shows the proposed Capture, Containment, and Return System, a NASA payload on the European...

JPL
NASA image: Mars Sample Retrieval Lander Concept Illustration
Image
Apr 21, 2022

Mars Sample Retrieval Lander Concept Illustration

This illustration shows a concept for a proposed NASA Sample Retrieval Lander that would carry a small rocket (about...

JPL
NASA image: Setting Guardrails for Mars Lander Testing
Image
Aug 10, 2023

Setting Guardrails for Mars Lander Testing

Morgan Montalvo, an engineer at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, sets guardrails on the floor below a prototype of...

JPL
NASA image: Mars Ascent Vehicle (Illustration)
Image
Mar 8, 2022

Mars Ascent Vehicle (Illustration)

This illustration shows NASA's Mars Ascent Vehicle (MAV) in powered flight. The MAV will carry tubes containing...

JPL
NASA image: Mars Samples in Orbit (Illustration)
Image
Mar 8, 2022

Mars Samples in Orbit (Illustration)

This illustration shows NASA's Mars Ascent Vehicle (MAV), which will carry tubes containing Martian rock and soil...

JPL
NASA image: A Full-Size Footpad Test
Image
Aug 10, 2023

A Full-Size Footpad Test

This setup is being used at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory to test a 16-inch-diameter (40-centimeter-diameter)...

JPL
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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

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