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 "OPTICS"

1,567 results found - Page 2 of 66

NASA image: OCI Optical Inspection
Image
Dec 3, 2020

OCI Optical Inspection

After removal from the handling container physical science technician, Kristen Washington, performs an inspection of...

GSFC
NASA image: OCI Optical Alignment Measurements
Image
Nov 17, 2022

OCI Optical Alignment Measurements

Optical engineer, Maurice Stancil, performs final optical alignment metrology measurements prior to the Ocean Color...

GSFC
NASA image: OCI Optical Measurements
Image
May 10, 2022

OCI Optical Measurements

Optical technician, Timothy Madison, uses a theodolite to perform optical measurements on the Ocean Color Instrument...

GSFC
NASA image: AFRC2017-0092-02
Image
Apr 25, 2017

AFRC2017-0092-02

Shideh Naderi works on designing the electronics for the next generation Fiber Optic Sensing System.

AFRC
NASA image: Made In Space Fiber Optics Locker Installation
Image
Dec 26, 2017

Made In Space Fiber Optics Locker Installation

iss054e005568 (12-26-2017) --- View of the Made In Space Fiber Optics Locker installed in ExPRESS (Expedite the...

JSC
NASA image: AFRC2017-0092-07
Image
Apr 25, 2017

AFRC2017-0092-07

The Fiber Optic Sensing System team includes in the front from left Nick Finks, Ryan Warner, Patrick Chan and Paul...

AFRC
NASA image: DSOC's Flight Laser Transceiver
Image
Apr 6, 2022

DSOC's Flight Laser Transceiver

The Deep Space Optical Communications (DSOC) technology demonstration's flight laser transceiver is shown at NASA's...

JPL
NASA image: GSFC_20240604_OSAM1_034649
Image
Jun 4, 2024

GSFC_20240604_OSAM1_034649

Closeup photo of an optical cube mounted to OSAM-1 hardware inside cleanroom at Goddard Space Flight Center,...

GSFC
NASA image: ICESat-2 Testing and Integration B-roll: ATLAS Optics Bench Fitcheck
Video
Oct 15, 2014

ICESat-2 Testing and Integration B-roll: ATLAS Optics Bench Fitcheck

The ATLAS Optics Bench is lifted onto the ICESat-2 box structure in order to ensure a proper fit for future integration.

GSFC
NASA image: ARC-1989-A89-0069-3
Image
May 17, 1989

ARC-1989-A89-0069-3

N-213 Laser Optics Laboratory - double exposed polaroid by Ken McAlister (engineer) 3-17-89 with Dana Lynch

ARC
NASA image: OCI Optical Lens Installation
Image
Jul 19, 2021

OCI Optical Lens Installation

An Ocean Color Instrument (OCI) optical lens is installed into the flight housing hardware for alignment...

GSFC
NASA image: Made In Space Fiber Optics Locker Installation
Image
Dec 26, 2017

Made In Space Fiber Optics Locker Installation

iss054e005575 (12-26-2017) --- Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) astronaut Norishige Kanai poses for a photo...

JSC
NASA image: OCI Rotating Telescope Optical Inspection
Image
Aug 26, 2021

OCI Rotating Telescope Optical Inspection

Mechanical technician, Andrew Scharmann, installs a shim and inspects an optic on the Ocean Color Instrument (OCI)...

GSFC
NASA image: Microgravity
Image
Feb 5, 1998

Microgravity

This graph depicts the increased signal quality possible with optical fibers made from ZBLAN, a family of...

MSFC
NASA image: AFRC2017-0092-04
Image
Apr 25, 2017

AFRC2017-0092-04

Patrick Chan demonstrates one way that the Fiber Optic Sensing System is used by bending a fiber with a 3D...

AFRC
NASA image: Microgravity
Image
May 26, 1999

Microgravity

NASA researcher Dr. Donald Frazier uses a blue laser shining through a quartz window into a special mix of chemicals...

MSFC
NASA image: Space Science
Image
Apr 20, 1999

Space Science

NASA's Space Optics Manufacturing Technology Center has been working to expand our view of the universe via...

MSFC
NASA image: GOES-R ABI Optics Test
Image
Aug 31, 2016

GOES-R ABI Optics Test

Team members prepare for an optics test on the Advanced Baseline Imager, the primary optical instrument, on the...

KSC
NASA image: GOES-R ABI Optics Test
Image
Aug 31, 2016

GOES-R ABI Optics Test

With the lights out, team members perform an optics test on the Advanced Baseline Imager, the primary optical...

KSC
NASA image: GOES-R ABI Optics Test
Image
Aug 31, 2016

GOES-R ABI Optics Test

Team members prepare for an optics test on the Advanced Baseline Imager, the primary optical instrument, on the...

KSC
NASA image: DSOC Flight Laser Transceiver Integrated with NASA's Psyche Spacecraft
Image
Apr 6, 2022

DSOC Flight Laser Transceiver Integrated with NASA's Psyche Spacecraft

The Deep Space Optical Communications (DSOC) technology demonstration's flight laser transceiver can be easily...

JPL
NASA image: Microgravity
Image
Feb 5, 1998

Microgravity

Scarning electron microscope images of the surface of ZBLAN fibers pulled in microgravity (ug) and on Earth (1g)...

MSFC
NASA image: NASA's Ship-Aircraft Bio-Optical Research (SABOR)
Image
Dec 8, 2017

NASA's Ship-Aircraft Bio-Optical Research (SABOR)

Fixing the "Fish" On July 19, 2014, Wayne Slade of Sequoia Scientific, and Allen Milligan of Oregon State...

GSFC
NASA image: NASA's Ship-Aircraft Bio-Optical Research (SABOR)
Image
Dec 8, 2017

NASA's Ship-Aircraft Bio-Optical Research (SABOR)

Seaweed and Light A type of seaweed called Sargassum, common in the Sargasso Sea, floats by an instrument deployed...

GSFC
PreviousPage 2 of 66Next

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