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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 "Return to Earth"

7,490 results found - Page 3 of 313

NASA image: Orion returns to earth
Image
Dec 5, 2014

Orion returns to earth

Following more than four hours in Earth orbit, NASA's Orion spacecraft is seen from an unpiloted aircraft as it...

JSC
NASA image: U.S. Astronaut, Crewmates Close Spacecraft Hatch Ahead of Return to Earth
Video
Sep 23, 2024

U.S. Astronaut, Crewmates Close Spacecraft Hatch Ahead of Return to Earth

NASA astronaut Tracy C. Dyson and Roscosmos cosmonauts Oleg Kononenko and Nikolai Chub closed the hatches of their...

JSC
NASA image: Mars Earth Entry System Aeroshell at Entry (Illustration)
Image
Oct 12, 2022

Mars Earth Entry System Aeroshell at Entry (Illustration)

This illustration depicts the Mars Earth Entry System for the Mars Sample Return campaign. The system would contain...

JPL
NASA image: Clementine Images of Earth and Moon
Image
Jun 12, 1999

Clementine Images of Earth and Moon

During its flight and lunar orbit, NASA’s Clementine spacecraft returned images of the planet Earth and the Moon....

JPL
NASA image: OSIRIS-REx:1st US Asteroid Sample Lands Soon (Official NASA Trailer)
Video
Sep 18, 2023

OSIRIS-REx:1st US Asteroid Sample Lands Soon (Official NASA Trailer)

NASA’s Origins, Spectral Interpretation, Resource Identification, Security-Regolith Explorer (OSIRIS-REx) is the...

HQ
NASA image: Mars Sample Return Orbiting Sample Container Concept Model
Image
Feb 25, 2020

Mars Sample Return Orbiting Sample Container Concept Model

This image shows a concept model of NASA's orbiting sample container, which will hold tubes of Martian rock and soil...

JPL
NASA image: NASA Astronaut Loral O'Hara Returns Home to Earth Part 1 - April 6, 2024
Video
Apr 6, 2024

NASA Astronaut Loral O'Hara Returns Home to Earth Part 1 - April 6, 2024

NASA astronaut Loral O’Hara, Roscosmos cosmonaut Oleg Novitskiy, and Belarus spaceflight participant Marina...

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NASA image: NASA Astronaut Loral O'Hara Returns Home to Earth Part 3 - April 6, 2024
Video
Apr 6, 2024

NASA Astronaut Loral O'Hara Returns Home to Earth Part 3 - April 6, 2024

NASA astronaut Loral O’Hara, Roscosmos cosmonaut Oleg Novitskiy, and Belarus spaceflight participant Marina...

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NASA image: NASA Astronaut Loral O'Hara Returns Home to Earth Part 2 - April 4, 2024
Video
Apr 6, 2024

NASA Astronaut Loral O'Hara Returns Home to Earth Part 2 - April 4, 2024

NASA astronaut Loral O’Hara, Roscosmos cosmonaut Oleg Novitskiy, and Belarus spaceflight participant Marina...

JSC
NASA image: Sample Return Capsule Landing Artist Concept
Image
Nov 3, 2005

Sample Return Capsule Landing Artist Concept

Artist rendering of NASA Stardust capsule returning to Earth. The Stardust spacecraft will bring back samples of...

JPL
NASA image: Creating a Returnable Cache of Martian Samples
Image
Jul 9, 2013

Creating a Returnable Cache of Martian Samples

This picture shows one prototype for hardware to cache samples of cores drilled from Martian rocks for possible...

JPL
NASA image: Luna 16
Image
Mar 25, 2010

Luna 16

Luna 16 was the first robotic mission to land on the Moon on basaltic plains of Mare Fecunditatis and return a...

JPL
NASA image: Illustration of Launching Samples Home from Mars
Image
Jan 3, 2005

Illustration of Launching Samples Home from Mars

One crucial step in NASA Mars sample return mission would be to launch the collected sample away from the surface of...

JPL
NASA image: Testing Mars Sample Return
Video
Dec 10, 2021

Testing Mars Sample Return

Teams across multiple NASA centers and the European Space Agency are working together to prepare a set of missions...

JPL
NASA image: How to Bring Mars Sample Tubes Safely to Earth (Mars News Report Oct. 19, 2022)
Video
Oct 26, 2022

How to Bring Mars Sample Tubes Safely to Earth (Mars News Report Oct. 19, 2022)

NASA’s Perseverance Mars rover is filling sample tubes with rocky material on the Red Planet as the agency works on...

JPL
NASA image: First Artemis Moon Crew Trains for Return to Earth
Image
Jan 23, 2024

First Artemis Moon Crew Trains for Return to Earth

NASA astronaut and Artemis II commander Reid Wiseman exits the side of a mockup of the Orion spacecraft during a...

JSC
NASA image: Orion returns to Earth after a succesfull flight
Image
Dec 5, 2014

Orion returns to Earth after a succesfull flight

Orion splashes down in the Pacific Ocean after Exploration Flight Test-1 (EFT-1) on Dec. 5, 2014. Part of Batch...

JSC
NASA image: Orion returns to Earth after a succesfull flight
Image
Dec 5, 2014

Orion returns to Earth after a succesfull flight

Orion splashes down in the Pacific Ocean after Exploration Flight Test-1 (EFT-1) on Dec. 5, 2014. Part of Batch...

JSC
NASA image: Orion returns to Earth after a succesfull flight
Image
Dec 5, 2014

Orion returns to Earth after a succesfull flight

Orion splashes down in the Pacific Ocean after Exploration Flight Test-1 (EFT-1) on Dec. 5, 2014. Part of Batch...

JSC
NASA image: Orion returns to Earth after a succesfull flight
Image
Dec 5, 2014

Orion returns to Earth after a succesfull flight

Orion splashes down in the Pacific Ocean after Exploration Flight Test-1 (EFT-1) on Dec. 5, 2014. Part of Batch...

JSC
NASA image: Mars Sample Retrieval Lander-Mars Ascent Vehicle Launch Illustration
Image
Apr 21, 2022

Mars Sample Retrieval Lander-Mars Ascent Vehicle Launch Illustration

This illustration shows a concept for a proposed NASA Mars lander-and-rocket combination that would play a key role...

JPL
NASA image: Video File Russian Trio Returns To Earth From The International Space Station
Video
Oct 17, 2021

Video File Russian Trio Returns To Earth From The International Space Station

Russian cosmonaut Oleg Novitskiy of Roscosmos and Russian spaceflight participants Yulia Peresild and Klim Shipenko...

JSC
NASA image: To Bennu and Back
Video
Sep 6, 2016

To Bennu and Back

NASA's latest New Frontiers mission, OSIRIS-REx, will venture to a near-Earth asteroid to discover clues about the...

GSFC
NASA image: SpaceX Crew Mission Graphics - Falcon 9
Image
Jul 23, 2021

SpaceX Crew Mission Graphics - Falcon 9

This graphic details the makeup of SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket. Falcon 9 is the launch vehicle SpaceX uses for all...

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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