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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 "OPTICS"

1,573 results found - Page 21 of 66

NASA image: STS-43 MS Adamson checks OCTW experiment on OV-104's aft flight deck
Image
Aug 11, 1991

STS-43 MS Adamson checks OCTW experiment on OV-104's aft flight deck

STS043-04-038 (2-11 Aug 1991) --- Astronaut James C. Adamson, STS-43 mission specialist, checks on an experiment on...

JSC
NASA image: EC91-436-8
Image
Aug 16, 1991

EC91-436-8

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration's Systems Research Aircraft (SRA), a highly modified F-18 jet...

AFRC
NASA image: Microgravity
Image
Jan 5, 1998

Microgravity

The Interferometer Protein Crystal Growth (IPCG) experiment was designed to measure details of how protein molecules...

MSFC
NASA image: Psyche Media Day
Image
Aug 11, 2030

Psyche Media Day

NASA’s Psyche spacecraft is made available to media for viewing inside a cleanroom at the Astrotech Space Operations...

KSC
NASA image: Psyche Media Day
Image
Aug 11, 2023

Psyche Media Day

NASA’s Psyche spacecraft is made available to media for viewing inside a cleanroom at the Astrotech Space Operations...

KSC
NASA image: Psyche Media Day
Image
Aug 11, 2030

Psyche Media Day

NASA’s Psyche spacecraft is made available to media for viewing inside a cleanroom at the Astrotech Space Operations...

KSC
NASA image: Psyche Media Day
Video
Aug 11, 2023

Psyche Media Day

NASA hosted media for a final visit NASA's Psyche spacecraft inside the Astrotech Space Operations Facility near the...

KSC
NASA image: Psyche Media Day
Image
Aug 11, 2030

Psyche Media Day

NASA’s Psyche spacecraft is made available to media for viewing inside a cleanroom at the Astrotech Space Operations...

KSC
NASA image: Psyche Media Day
Image
Aug 11, 2023

Psyche Media Day

NASA’s Psyche spacecraft is made available to media for viewing inside a cleanroom at the Astrotech Space Operations...

KSC
NASA image: Psyche Media Day
Image
Aug 11, 2023

Psyche Media Day

NASA’s Psyche spacecraft is made available to media for viewing inside a cleanroom at the Astrotech Space Operations...

KSC
NASA image: Psyche Media Day
Image
Aug 11, 2023

Psyche Media Day

NASA’s Psyche spacecraft is made available to media for viewing inside a cleanroom at the Astrotech Space Operations...

KSC
NASA image: Psyche Media Day
Image
Aug 11, 2030

Psyche Media Day

NASA’s Psyche spacecraft is made available to media for viewing inside a cleanroom at the Astrotech Space Operations...

KSC
NASA image: Psyche Transport to LC-39A
Video
Oct 6, 2023

Psyche Transport to LC-39A

Teams transport NASA's encapsulated Psyche spacecraft from Astrotech Space Operations Facility near the agency's...

KSC
NASA image: Psyche Media Day
Image
Aug 11, 2023

Psyche Media Day

Members of NASA’s Psyche team are photographed with the spacecraft by media inside a cleanroom the Astrotech Space...

KSC
NASA image: Psyche Media Day
Image
Aug 11, 2023

Psyche Media Day

Psyche Project Manager Henry Stone, of NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, is photographed with the spacecraft by...

KSC
NASA image: ATLAS: Laser Focus: The Transmitter
Video
Jan 7, 2015

ATLAS: Laser Focus: The Transmitter

Opto-Mechanical Engineer Tyler Evans illustrates how the laser is transmitted from the ATLAS instrument on the...

GSFC
NASA image: KSC-04-S-00319
Video
Sep 23, 2004

KSC-04-S-00319

More than thirty years since their accidental discovery, gamma-ray bursts are still a mystery to scientists. These...

KSC
NASA image: ATLAS: Laser Focus: Receiver
Video
Jan 7, 2015

ATLAS: Laser Focus: Receiver

Opto-Mechanical Engineer Tyler Evans explains how the photons that bounce back from Earth are received and filtered...

GSFC
NASA image: ATLAS: Laser Focus: Timing
Video
Jan 7, 2015

ATLAS: Laser Focus: Timing

Deputy Systems Engineer Phil Luers explains how the ATLAS transmitter and receiver subsystems come together to...

GSFC
NASA image: Table Mountain Facility Sends DSOC Laser Beacon to NASA's Psyche (Infrared Image)
Image
Sep 18, 2025

Table Mountain Facility Sends DSOC Laser Beacon to NASA's Psyche (Infrared Image)

In this infrared photograph, the Optical Communications Telescope Laboratory (OCTL) at NASA Jet Propulsion...

JPL
NASA image: DSOC's Table Mountain Facility Uplink Laser – Infrared vs. Visible Light
Image
Sep 18, 2025

DSOC's Table Mountain Facility Uplink Laser – Infrared vs. Visible Light

This infrared photograph shows the uplink laser beacon for NASA's Deep Space Optical Communications (DSOC)...

JPL
NASA image: Fine Guidance Sensor Installation EVA Unpacking New Box
Video
Aug 22, 2008

Fine Guidance Sensor Installation EVA Unpacking New Box

Hubble uses three Fine Guidance Sensors for steady pointing and measurement. Astronauts will exchange one of these...

GSFC
NASA image: GEDI Integration
Image
Apr 24, 2018

GEDI Integration

The Global Ecosystem Dynamics Investigation (GEDI) Optical Bench is suspended from the crane in the Spacecraft...

GSFC
NASA image: NASA Prepares for Mock Truss-Braced Wing Tests
Image
Apr 18, 2024

NASA Prepares for Mock Truss-Braced Wing Tests

An epoxy is applied to adhere the fiber optic sensor installation on the Mock Truss-Braced Wing 10-foot model at...

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.

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

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Space News

Mission updates & discoveries