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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 26 of 66

NASA image: Marshburn during CIR FOMA Calibration Unit R&R
Image
Apr 15, 2013

Marshburn during CIR FOMA Calibration Unit R&R

ISS035-E-020086 (15 April 2013) --- NASA astronaut Tom Marshburn, Expedition 35 flight engineer, conducts routine...

JSC
NASA image: KSC-2010-4565
Image
Sep 7, 2010

KSC-2010-4565

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- As the sun was rising over NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, an early morning rain...

KSC
NASA image: Orion Looks Back at Earth
Image
Apr 3, 2026

Orion Looks Back at Earth

art002e000180 (April 1, 2026) - This black and white image of Earth was captured by the optical navigation sensor on...

JSC
NASA image: KSC-03pd2687
Image
Aug 27, 2003

KSC-03pd2687

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - The fixture is set up for collimation on the newly installed five-meter focal length...

KSC
NASA image: iss065e033969
Image
May 12, 2021

iss065e033969

iss065e033969 (May 12, 2021) --- NASA astronaut and Expedition 65 Flight Engineer Shane Kimbrough sets up...

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NASA image: PRO Imagery Submittal - GULBI
Image
Jul 9, 2025

PRO Imagery Submittal - GULBI

jsc2025e067422 97/9/2025) --- Agar plates for the GULBI investigation. This research uses special optical fibers to...

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NASA image: Piazza Knows How to Manage the Heat
Image
Aug 5, 2005

Piazza Knows How to Manage the Heat

The X-37 advanced technology demonstrator flaperon unit was one of the first ever thermal and mechanical...

AFRC
Image
Apr 1, 2010

1000506

NASA ADMINISTRATOR CHARLES BOLDEN LISTENS AS BALL AEROSPACE TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION PRINCIPLE OPTICAL ENGINEER DAVE...

MSFC
NASA image: iss053e238919
Image
Nov 21, 2017

iss053e238919

iss053e238919 (Nov. 21, 2017) --- Cosmonauts Alexander Misurkin (foreground) and Sergey Ryazanskiy participate in a...

JSC
NASA image: KSC-2010-4567
Image
Sep 7, 2010

KSC-2010-4567

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- As the sun was rising over NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, an early morning rain...

KSC
NASA image: Flight Day 26: Home in Sight
Image
Dec 11, 2022

Flight Day 26: Home in Sight

art001e003069 (Dec. 11, 2022) On the day of its return to Earth, Orion’s optical navigation camera captured this...

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

NASA Prepares for Mock Truss-Braced Wing Tests

Engineering technician Jeff Howell removes tape from the Mock Truss-Braced Wing 10-foot model at NASA’s Armstrong...

AFRC
NASA image: New five-meter DOAMS Telescope
Image
Aug 25, 2002

New five-meter DOAMS Telescope

Seen from inside the dome, a new five-meter telescope is lowered into place. The tracking telescope is part of the...

KSC
NASA image: iss070e110532
Image
Mar 8, 2024

iss070e110532

ISS070E110532 - NASA astronaut Loral O'Hara poses in front of the Destiny laboratory’s Microgravity Science Glovebox...

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NASA image: KSC-01PP-0396
Image
Feb 20, 2001

KSC-01PP-0396

An optical illusion places Lady Margaret Thatcher, former Prime Minister of Great Britain, under an external tank in...

KSC
NASA image: Piazza Knows How to Manage the Heat
Image
Mar 17, 2023

Piazza Knows How to Manage the Heat

Anthony piazza, a researcher at NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research center in Edwards, California, works with...

AFRC
NASA image: History of Hubble Space Telescope (HST)
Image
Jan 1, 1993

History of Hubble Space Telescope (HST)

STS-61 astronauts practice installing the corrective optics module on a Hubble Space Telescope mockup in Marshall...

MSFC
NASA image: KSC-03pd2681
Image
Aug 26, 2003

KSC-03pd2681

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - This storyboard shows a diagram of the telescope design and photos for a new five-meter...

KSC
NASA image: Flight Day 26: Home in Sight
Image
Dec 11, 2022

Flight Day 26: Home in Sight

art001e003070 (Dec. 11, 2022) On the day of its return to Earth, Orion’s optical navigation camera captured this...

JSC
NASA image: sts105-707-055
Image
Aug 20, 2001

sts105-707-055

STS105-707-055 (20 August 2001) --- This view of the International Space Station (ISS) was captured with a 70mm...

JSC
NASA image: NASA DC-8 SARP 2020-21
Image
Dec 8, 2021

NASA DC-8 SARP 2020-21

NASA's DC-8 in flight for the NASA Student Airborne Research Project (SARP) to measure aerosols with the Langley...

AFRC
NASA image: Air-LUSI Project - ER-2 Science Mission
Image
Nov 6, 2019

Air-LUSI Project - ER-2 Science Mission

Steven Grantham (NIST) and John Woodward (NIST) contemplate cable management for air-LUSI’s Irradiance Instrument...

AFRC
NASA image: KSC-03pd2683
Image
Aug 26, 2003

KSC-03pd2683

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - The thermolite level is in place on a newly installed five-meter focal length telescope...

KSC
NASA image: Advanced Combustion via Microgravity Experiments (ACME)
Image
Aug 10, 2018

Advanced Combustion via Microgravity Experiments (ACME)

iss056e130654 (Aug. 10, 2018) --- The Combustion Integration Rack (CIR), pictured in its open configuration, is...

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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