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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 "ion"

645 results found - Page 2 of 27

NASA image: MAVEN Neutral Gas and Ion Mass Spectrometer
Video
Jul 18, 2013

MAVEN Neutral Gas and Ion Mass Spectrometer

While NASA rovers, landers, and orbiters have scrutinized the surface of Mars for decades, a key question to...

GSFC
NASA image: Deep Space 1 Ion Engine
Image
Dec 21, 2002

Deep Space 1 Ion Engine

This image of a xenon ion engine prototype, photographed through a port of the vacuum chamber where it was being...

JPL
NASA image: Advanced Space Transportation Program (ASTP)
Image
Jul 21, 2003

Advanced Space Transportation Program (ASTP)

An ion thruster is removed from a vacuum chamber at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California. The...

MSFC
NASA image: Ions of Eight Metals from Comet Dust Detected in Mars Atmosphere
Image
Nov 7, 2014

Ions of Eight Metals from Comet Dust Detected in Mars Atmosphere

These eight graphs present data from the Neutral Gas and Ion Mass Spectrometer on NASA MAVEN orbiter identifying...

JPL
NASA image: Electron Bombardment Ion Thruster
Image
Aug 23, 1970

Electron Bombardment Ion Thruster

Researchers at the Lewis Research Center had been studying different methods of electric rocket propulsion since the...

GRC
NASA image: Thumbs-up for Ion Propulsion
Image
Jul 7, 2020

Thumbs-up for Ion Propulsion

Psyche engineers adapted to COVID-19 social distancing and masking requirements while testing the Hall thrusters...

JPL
NASA image: jsc2024e062111
Image
Sep 13, 2024

jsc2024e062111

jsc2024e062111 (9/13/2024) --- The monitor displays the ion beam profile of Galactic Cosmic Ray Simulation (GCRSim)...

JSC
NASA image: GEMINI-TITAN (GT)-12 - EXPERIMENT D-10 - ION-SENSING ATTITUDE CONTROL - MSC
Image
Oct 1, 1966

GEMINI-TITAN (GT)-12 - EXPERIMENT D-10 - ION-SENSING ATTITUDE CONTROL - MSC

S66-09377 (1 Oct. 1966) --- One of two Ion Sensors which will be used to investigate determination of Gemini-12...

JSC
NASA image: n/a
Image
Feb 4, 1970

n/a

The Thorad-Agena launch vehicle with the SERT-2 (Space Electric Rocket Test-2) spacecraft on launch pad at the...

MSFC
NASA image: Deep Space 1 Using its Ion Engine Artist Concept
Image
Jul 2, 2003

Deep Space 1 Using its Ion Engine Artist Concept

NASA's New Millennium Deep Space 1 spacecraft approaching the comet 19P/Borrelly. With its primary mission to serve...

JPL
NASA image: Engineer Examines Cluster of Ion Engines in the Electric Propulsion Laboratory
Image
Jan 23, 1963

Engineer Examines Cluster of Ion Engines in the Electric Propulsion Laboratory

New staff member Paul Margosian inspects a cluster of ion engines in the Electric Propulsion Laboratory’s 25-foot...

GRC
NASA image: Exposed Interior of Dawn Spacecraft
Image
May 29, 2009

Exposed Interior of Dawn Spacecraft

Exposed interior of NASA Dawn spacecraft showing ion propulsion system xenon feed system.

JPL
NASA image: Illustration of Dawn Spacecraft Core Structure
Image
May 29, 2009

Illustration of Dawn Spacecraft Core Structure

This illustration shows the core structure with ion propulsion system installed aboard NASA Dawn spacecraft.

JPL
NASA image: Dawn Blue Glow Artist Concept
Image
Mar 2, 2015

Dawn Blue Glow Artist Concept

This artist concept shows NASA Dawn spacecraft arriving at the dwarf planet Ceres. Dawn travels through space using...

JPL
NASA image: 1300930
Image
Aug 15, 2013

1300930

DR. BINAYAK PANDA LOADS A SAMPLE IN THE IMS-6F SECONDARY ION MASS SPECTROSCOPE’S ULTRA HIGH VACUUM CHAMBER. IT IS...

MSFC
NASA image: GRC-1999-C-02030
Image
Nov 10, 1999

GRC-1999-C-02030

VACUUM FACILITY II ION PLUME DIAGNOSTICS - ION THRUSTER WITH PLASMA PROBES

GRC
NASA image: Clay Mineral Crystal Structure Tied to Composition
Image
Dec 13, 2016

Clay Mineral Crystal Structure Tied to Composition

This diagram illustrates how the dimensions of clay minerals' crystal structure are affected by which ions are...

JPL
NASA image: Trapping of Methane In Enceladus Ocean
Image
Mar 11, 2015

Trapping of Methane In Enceladus Ocean

This illustration depicts potential origins of methane found in the plume of gas and ice particles that sprays from...

JPL
NASA image: Comet Borrelly Slows Solar Wind
Image
Nov 3, 2001

Comet Borrelly Slows Solar Wind

Over 1300 energy spectra taken on September 22, 2001 from the ion and electron instruments on NASA Deep Space 1 span...

JPL
NASA image: Electronics for a Spectrometer
Image
Jan 24, 2014

Electronics for a Spectrometer

NASA has provided part of the electronics package for an instrument called the Double Focusing Mass Spectrometer,...

JPL
NASA image: U.S. Instruments Aboard Rosetta
Image
Jan 24, 2014

U.S. Instruments Aboard Rosetta

Three of NASA contributions to the ESA Rosetta mission are pictured here: an ultraviolet spectrometer called Alice...

JPL
NASA image: Comet Borrelly Nucleus Found to the Side
Image
Nov 3, 2001

Comet Borrelly Nucleus Found to the Side

NASA Deep Space 1 flew by comet Borrelly on September 22, 2001 and took these measurements with its plasma...

JPL
NASA image: The Sun Southern Wind Flows Northward Artist Concept
Image
Dec 3, 2012

The Sun Southern Wind Flows Northward Artist Concept

This artist concept shows how NASA Voyager 1 spacecraft is bathed in solar wind from the southern hemisphere flowing...

JPL
NASA image: GRC-2001-C-00377
Image
May 1, 2004

GRC-2001-C-00377

ION PROPULSION LABORATORIES - HYDROFORMING RIG

GRC
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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

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