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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 "mothership"

62 results found - Page 2 of 3

NASA image: X-38 in Flight during Second Free Flight
Image
Feb 6, 1999

X-38 in Flight during Second Free Flight

NASA's X-38, a research vehicle developed as part of an effort to build an emergency Crew Return Vehicle (CRV) for...

AFRC
NASA image: X-38 in Flight during Second Free Flight
Image
Feb 6, 1999

X-38 in Flight during Second Free Flight

NASA's X-38, a research vehicle developed as part of an effort to build an emergency Crew Return Vehicle (CRV) for...

AFRC
NASA image: Pegasus Rocket Booster Being Prepared for X-43A/Hyper-X Flight Test
Image
Aug 25, 1999

Pegasus Rocket Booster Being Prepared for X-43A/Hyper-X Flight Test

A close-up view of the front end of a Pegasus rocket booster being prepared by technicians at the Dryden Flight...

AFRC
NASA image: E-21090
Image
Nov 18, 1969

E-21090

The HL-10 Lifting Body is seen here in powered flight shortly after launch from the B-52 mothership. When HL-10...

AFRC
NASA image: Pegasus Rocket Booster Being Prepared for X-43A/Hyper-X Flight Test
Image
Aug 25, 1999

Pegasus Rocket Booster Being Prepared for X-43A/Hyper-X Flight Test

Technicians prepare a Pegasus rocket booster for flight tests with the X-43A "Hypersonic Experimental Vehicle," or...

AFRC
NASA image: NASA's B-52B launch aircraft takes off carrying the third X-43A hypersonic research vehicle on a captive carry evaluation flight September 27, 2004
Image
Sep 27, 2004

NASA's B-52B launch aircraft takes off carrying the third X-43A hypersonic research vehicle on a captive carry evaluation flight September 27, 2004

Attached to the same B-52B mothership that once launched X-15 research aircraft in the 1960s, NASA's third X-43A...

AFRC
NASA image: Rans S-12 RPV Takes off with Spacewedge #2
Image
Aug 14, 1992

Rans S-12 RPV Takes off with Spacewedge #2

A Rans S-12 remotely piloted "mothership" takes off from a lakebed runway carrying a Spacewedge research model...

AFRC
NASA image: ECN-14283
Image
Dec 30, 1980

ECN-14283

The Highly Maneuverable Aircraft Technology (HiMAT) research vehicle is shown here mated to a wing pylon on NASA’s...

AFRC
NASA image: NASA's B-52B launch aircraft takes off carrying the third X-43A hypersonic research vehicle on a captive carry evaluation flight September 27, 2004
Image
Sep 27, 2004

NASA's B-52B launch aircraft takes off carrying the third X-43A hypersonic research vehicle on a captive carry evaluation flight September 27, 2004

Attached to the same B-52B mothership that once launched X-15 research aircraft in the 1960s, NASA's third X-43A...

AFRC
NASA image: X-38 in Flight during Second Free Flight
Image
Feb 6, 1999

X-38 in Flight during Second Free Flight

NASA's X-38, a research vehicle developed as part of an effort to build an emergency Crew Return Vehicle (CRV) for...

AFRC
NASA image: Pegasus Mated to B-52 Mothership - First Flight
Image
Nov 9, 1989

Pegasus Mated to B-52 Mothership - First Flight

The Pegasus air-launched space booster is carried aloft under the right wing of NASA's B-52 carrier aircraft on its...

AFRC
NASA image: The X-40 sub-scale technology demonstrator and its U.S. Army CH-47 Chinook helicopter mothership fly over a dry lakebed runway during a captive-carry test flight at NASA's Dryden Flight Research Center
Image
Dec 8, 2000

The X-40 sub-scale technology demonstrator and its U.S. Army CH-47 Chinook helicopter mothership fly over a dry lakebed runway during a captive-carry test flight at NASA's Dryden Flight Research Center

The X-40 sub-scale technology demonstrator and its U.S. Army CH-47 Chinook helicopter mothership fly over a dry...

AFRC
NASA image: B-52/Pegasus with X-43A in flight over Pacific Ocean
Image
Apr 28, 2001

B-52/Pegasus with X-43A in flight over Pacific Ocean

The NASA X-43A hypersonic research vehicle and its Pegasus booster rocket, mounted beneath the wing of their B-52...

AFRC
NASA image: Close view of B-52/Pegasus with X-43A in flight
Image
Apr 28, 2001

Close view of B-52/Pegasus with X-43A in flight

The NASA X-43A hypersonic research vehicle and its Pegasus booster rocket, mounted beneath the wing of their B-52...

AFRC
NASA image: B-52/Pegasus with X-43A landing after first captive carry flight
Image
Apr 28, 2001

B-52/Pegasus with X-43A landing after first captive carry flight

The NASA X-43A hypersonic research vehicle and its Pegasus booster rocket, mounted beneath the wing of their B-52...

AFRC
NASA image: B-52/Pegasus with X-43A departing on first captive flight
Image
Apr 28, 2001

B-52/Pegasus with X-43A departing on first captive flight

The NASA X-43A hypersonic research vehicle and its Pegasus booster rocket, mounted beneath the wing of their B-52...

AFRC
NASA image: Dale Reed with model in front of M2-F1
Image
Mar 6, 1967

Dale Reed with model in front of M2-F1

Dale Reed with a model of the M2-F1 in front of the actual lifting body. Reed used the model to show the potential...

AFRC
NASA image: ED04-0362-08
Image
Dec 17, 2004

ED04-0362-08

Dryden Center director Kevin Petersen shakes hands with AFFTC commander, Brig. Gen. Curtis Bedke, at the retirement...

AFRC
NASA image: ED04-0362-07
Image
Dec 17, 2004

ED04-0362-07

DFRC director Kevin Petersen speaks to an audience of NASA and Air Force visitors, employees and special guests at...

AFRC
NASA image: NASA B-52B Carries Pegasus Booster, X-43A Aircraft
Image
Jan 26, 2004

NASA B-52B Carries Pegasus Booster, X-43A Aircraft

Final preparations are underway for NASA’s B-52B to carry the Pegasus booster rocket and the hypersonic X-43A...

AFRC
NASA image: NASA B-52B Carries Pegasus Booster, X-43A Aircraft
Image
Jan 27, 2004

NASA B-52B Carries Pegasus Booster, X-43A Aircraft

From left, pilot Craig Bomben, photographer Carla Thomas, pilot Frank Batteas, and videographer Lori Losey make up...

AFRC
NASA image: NASA B-52B Carries Pegasus Booster, X-43A Aircraft
Image
Jan 22, 2004

NASA B-52B Carries Pegasus Booster, X-43A Aircraft

The Pegasus booster rocket, carrying the X-43A hypersonic aircraft, is mounted beneath NASA’s B-52B wing. A dry run,...

AFRC
NASA image: NASA B-52B Carries Pegasus Booster, X-43A Aircraft
Image
Jan 22, 2004

NASA B-52B Carries Pegasus Booster, X-43A Aircraft

The X-43A is attached to the front of a Pegasus booster rocket, which is set to be carried beneath NASA’s B-52B...

AFRC
NASA image: The X-43A hypersonic research aircraft and its modified Pegasus® booster rocket recently underwent combined systems testing while mounted to NASA's NB-52B carrier aircraft
Image
Mar 15, 2001

The X-43A hypersonic research aircraft and its modified Pegasus® booster rocket recently underwent combined systems testing while mounted to NASA's NB-52B carrier aircraft

The first of three X-43A hypersonic research aircraft and its modified Pegasus® booster rocket recently underwent...

AFRC
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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.

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