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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 "Recovery Ship"

1,301 results found - Page 2 of 55

NASA image: ASTP Apollo Command Module awaits pickup by prime recovery ship
Image
Jul 24, 1975

ASTP Apollo Command Module awaits pickup by prime recovery ship

S75-29717 (24 July 1975) --- The ASTP Apollo Command Module, with astronauts Thomas P. Stafford, Vance D. Brand and...

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NASA image: Apollo 8 crew arrive aboard the carrier U.S.S. Yorktown
Image
Dec 27, 1968

Apollo 8 crew arrive aboard the carrier U.S.S. Yorktown

S69-15737 (27 Dec. 1968) --- The Apollo 8 crew stands in the doorway of a recovery helicopter after arriving aboard...

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NASA image: Apollo 11 spacecraft Command Module hoisted aboard U.S.S. Hornet
Image
Jul 24, 1969

Apollo 11 spacecraft Command Module hoisted aboard U.S.S. Hornet

The Apollo 11 spacecraft Command Module is photographed being lowered to the deck of the U.S.S. Hornet, prime...

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NASA image: Apollo 14 crewmen step aboard U.S.S. New Orleans after splashdown
Image
Feb 9, 1971

Apollo 14 crewmen step aboard U.S.S. New Orleans after splashdown

S71-19473 (9 Feb. 1971) --- The Apollo 14 crew members step aboard the USS New Orleans, after exiting a U.S. Navy...

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NASA image: Apollo 13 Crew - Prime Recovery Ship - USS Iwo Jima
Image
Apr 17, 1970

Apollo 13 Crew - Prime Recovery Ship - USS Iwo Jima

S70-35606 (17 April 1970) --- Rear Admiral Donald C. Davis, Commanding Officer of Task Force 130, the Pacific...

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NASA image: SKYLAB (SL)-2 - RECOVERY OPERATIONS - RECOVERY SHIP - PACIFIC
Image
Jun 26, 1973

SKYLAB (SL)-2 - RECOVERY OPERATIONS - RECOVERY SHIP - PACIFIC

S73-29138 (22 June 1973) --- The Skylab 2 Command Module, with astronauts Charles Conrad Jr., Joseph P. Kerwin and...

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NASA image: Apollo 13 crew arrive on prime recovery ship U.S.S. Iwo Jima
Image
Apr 17, 1970

Apollo 13 crew arrive on prime recovery ship U.S.S. Iwo Jima

S70-35614 (17 April 1970) --- The crewmembers of the Apollo 13 mission, step aboard the USS Iwo Jima, prime recovery...

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NASA image: Astronaut Grissom arrives aboard the U.S.S. Randolph after the MR-4 flight
Image
Jul 21, 1961

Astronaut Grissom arrives aboard the U.S.S. Randolph after the MR-4 flight

S61-02894 (21 July 1961) --- Astronaut Virgil I. (Gus) Grissom, pilot of the Mercury-Redstone 4 (MR-4) “Liberty Bell...

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NASA image: President Nixon on deck of U.S.S. Hornet awaiting Apollo 11 crew arrival
Image
Jul 24, 1969

President Nixon on deck of U.S.S. Hornet awaiting Apollo 11 crew arrival

S69-21736 (24 July 1969) --- President Richard M. Nixon photographed on the deck of the USS Hornet, prime recovery...

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NASA image: GSE is Being Readied to Load onto the Ship for Orion Recovery
Image
Nov 17, 2014

GSE is Being Readied to Load onto the Ship for Orion Recovery

A ramp is being loaded on the USS Anchorage so that ground support equipment for use during recovery of the Orion...

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NASA image: KSC-2011-1860
Image
Feb 25, 2011

KSC-2011-1860

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Crew members of Liberty Star, one of NASA's solid rocket booster retrieval ships, hold on...

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NASA image: GSE is Being Readied to Load onto the Ship for Orion Recovery
Image
Nov 17, 2014

GSE is Being Readied to Load onto the Ship for Orion Recovery

NASA Orion Recovery Director Jeremy Graeber, with the Ground Systems Development and Operations Program at Kennedy...

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NASA image: GSE is Being Readied to Load onto the Ship for Orion Recovery
Image
Nov 17, 2014

GSE is Being Readied to Load onto the Ship for Orion Recovery

NASA Orion Recovery Director Jeremy Graeber, with the Ground Systems Development and Operations Program at Kennedy...

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NASA image: GSE is Being Readied to Load onto the Ship for Orion Recovery
Image
Nov 17, 2014

GSE is Being Readied to Load onto the Ship for Orion Recovery

Ground support equipment for use during an alternate recovery method of the Orion crew module after its first flight...

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NASA image: GSE is Being Readied to Load onto the Ship for Orion Recovery
Image
Nov 17, 2014

GSE is Being Readied to Load onto the Ship for Orion Recovery

Ground support equipment for use during an alternate recovery method of the Orion crew module after its first flight...

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NASA image: KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - During a media tour of the Columbia Debris Hangar, photographers pause at the mockup of the leading edge of Columbia’s left wing. About 83,000 pieces of debris from Columbia were shipped to KSC from search and recovery efforts in East Texas. About 83,000 pieces of debris were shipped to KSC, which represents about 38 percent of the dry weight of Columbia, equaling almost 85,000 pounds. The debris is being packaged for storage in an area of the Vehicle Assembly Building.
Image
Sep 11, 2003

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - During a media tour of the Columbia Debris Hangar, photographers pause at the mockup of the leading edge of Columbia’s left wing. About 83,000 pieces of debris from Columbia were shipped to KSC from search and recovery efforts in East Texas. About 83,000 pieces of debris were shipped to KSC, which represents about 38 percent of the dry weight of Columbia, equaling almost 85,000 pounds. The debris is being packaged for storage in an area of the Vehicle Assembly Building.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - During a media tour of the Columbia Debris Hangar, photographers pause at the mockup of...

KSC
NASA image: KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - During a media tour of the Columbia Debris Hangar, a photographer gets a close-up of the mockup of the leading edge of Columbia’s left wing. About 83,000 pieces of debris were shipped to KSC from search and recovery efforts in East Texas. About 83,000 pieces of debris from Columbia were shipped to KSC, which represents about 38 percent of the dry weight of Columbia, equaling almost 85,000 pounds. The debris is being packaged for storage in an area of the Vehicle Assembly Building.
Image
Sep 11, 2003

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - During a media tour of the Columbia Debris Hangar, a photographer gets a close-up of the mockup of the leading edge of Columbia’s left wing. About 83,000 pieces of debris were shipped to KSC from search and recovery efforts in East Texas. About 83,000 pieces of debris from Columbia were shipped to KSC, which represents about 38 percent of the dry weight of Columbia, equaling almost 85,000 pounds. The debris is being packaged for storage in an area of the Vehicle Assembly Building.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - During a media tour of the Columbia Debris Hangar, a photographer gets a close-up of...

KSC
NASA image: KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - An area of the Vehicle Assembly Building is being prepared to store the debris collected from Space Shuttle Columbia. About 83,000 pieces were shipped to KSC during search and recovery efforts in East Texas.
Image
Sep 2, 2003

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - An area of the Vehicle Assembly Building is being prepared to store the debris collected from Space Shuttle Columbia. About 83,000 pieces were shipped to KSC during search and recovery efforts in East Texas.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - An area of the Vehicle Assembly Building is being prepared to store the debris...

KSC
NASA image: KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Workers in the Columbia Debris Hangar move some of the STS-107 debris into boxes for transfer to storage in the Vehicle Assembly Building. About 83,000 pieces were shipped to KSC during search and recovery efforts in East Texas.
Image
Sep 2, 2003

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Workers in the Columbia Debris Hangar move some of the STS-107 debris into boxes for transfer to storage in the Vehicle Assembly Building. About 83,000 pieces were shipped to KSC during search and recovery efforts in East Texas.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Workers in the Columbia Debris Hangar move some of the STS-107 debris into boxes for...

KSC
NASA image: KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Workers in the Columbia Debris Hangar record the first items of the STS-107 debris to be transferred to storage in the Vehicle Assembly Building. About 83,000 pieces were shipped to KSC during search and recovery efforts in East Texas.
Image
Sep 2, 2003

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Workers in the Columbia Debris Hangar record the first items of the STS-107 debris to be transferred to storage in the Vehicle Assembly Building. About 83,000 pieces were shipped to KSC during search and recovery efforts in East Texas.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Workers in the Columbia Debris Hangar record the first items of the STS-107 debris to...

KSC
NASA image: KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Storage boxes and other containers of Columbia debris wait in the Columbia Debris Hangar for transfer to storage in the Vehicle Assembly Building. About 83,000 pieces were shipped to KSC during search and recovery efforts in East Texas.
Image
Sep 2, 2003

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Storage boxes and other containers of Columbia debris wait in the Columbia Debris Hangar for transfer to storage in the Vehicle Assembly Building. About 83,000 pieces were shipped to KSC during search and recovery efforts in East Texas.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Storage boxes and other containers of Columbia debris wait in the Columbia Debris...

KSC
NASA image: KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - In the Columbia Debris Hangar, Jack Nowling moves a box filled with part of the Columbia debris. About 83,000 pieces were shipped to KSC during search and recovery efforts in East Texas. An area of the Vehicle Assembly Building is being prepared to store the debris.
Image
Sep 10, 2003

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - In the Columbia Debris Hangar, Jack Nowling moves a box filled with part of the Columbia debris. About 83,000 pieces were shipped to KSC during search and recovery efforts in East Texas. An area of the Vehicle Assembly Building is being prepared to store the debris.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - In the Columbia Debris Hangar, Jack Nowling moves a box filled with part of the...

KSC
NASA image: KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Storage boxes filled with Columbia debris (left) await transfer to storage in the Vehicle Assembly Building. Empty boxes at right wait to be filled with more of the approximately 83,000 pieces shipped to KSC during search and recovery efforts in East Texas.
Image
Sep 2, 2003

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Storage boxes filled with Columbia debris (left) await transfer to storage in the Vehicle Assembly Building. Empty boxes at right wait to be filled with more of the approximately 83,000 pieces shipped to KSC during search and recovery efforts in East Texas.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Storage boxes filled with Columbia debris (left) await transfer to storage in the...

KSC
NASA image: KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - A worker in the Columbia Debris Hangar sorts bagged items of Columbia debris that will be transferred to storage in the Vehicle Assembly Building. About 83,000 pieces were shipped to KSC during search and recovery efforts in East Texas.
Image
Sep 2, 2003

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - A worker in the Columbia Debris Hangar sorts bagged items of Columbia debris that will be transferred to storage in the Vehicle Assembly Building. About 83,000 pieces were shipped to KSC during search and recovery efforts in East Texas.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - A worker in the Columbia Debris Hangar sorts bagged items of Columbia debris that will...

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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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Mission updates & discoveries