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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 "Back Shells"

130 results found - Page 4 of 6

NASA image: Mars 2020 Heat Shield & Backshell Unboxing
Image
Dec 13, 2019

Mars 2020 Heat Shield & Backshell Unboxing

The heat shield and back shell for the Mars 2020 rover are unboxed inside the Payload Hazardous Servicing Facility...

KSC
NASA image: Mars 2020 Heat Shield & Backshell Unboxing
Image
Dec 13, 2019

Mars 2020 Heat Shield & Backshell Unboxing

The heat shield and back shell for the Mars 2020 rover are unboxed inside the Payload Hazardous Servicing Facility...

KSC
NASA image: Boeing CST-100 Starliner Base Heat Shield Installation
Image
Mar 15, 2018

Boeing CST-100 Starliner Base Heat Shield Installation

On March 15, the base heat shield for Boeing’s CST-100 Starliner was freshly installed on the bottom of Spacecraft 1...

KSC
NASA image: Mars 2020 Heat Shield & Backshell Unboxing
Image
Dec 13, 2019

Mars 2020 Heat Shield & Backshell Unboxing

The heat shield and back shell for the Mars 2020 rover are unboxed inside the Payload Hazardous Servicing Facility...

KSC
NASA image: Mars Decoder Ring
Image
Feb 23, 2021

Mars Decoder Ring

This annotated image was taken by a parachute-up-look camera aboard the protective back shell of NASA's Perseverance...

JPL
NASA image: Top View of InSight Cruise Stage
Image
May 27, 2015

Top View of InSight Cruise Stage

This photo shows the upper side of the cruise stage of NASA's InSight spacecraft as specialists at Lockheed Martin...

JPL
NASA image: LCAM Views the Heat Shield After Being Released from Mars 2020 Spacecraft
Image
Mar 4, 2021

LCAM Views the Heat Shield After Being Released from Mars 2020 Spacecraft

The heat shield drops away toward Mars after being released from the Mars 2020 back shell during the spacecraft's...

JPL
NASA image: Perseverance's LCAM Views the Heat Shield During Descent
Image
Mar 4, 2021

Perseverance's LCAM Views the Heat Shield During Descent

The heat shield drops away toward Mars after being released from the Mars 2020 back shell during the spacecraft's...

JPL
NASA image: Mars 2020 Spacecraft Mid-Cruise (Illustration)
Image
Oct 27, 2020

Mars 2020 Spacecraft Mid-Cruise (Illustration)

This illustration of the Mars 2020 spacecraft (the solar-panel-covered cruise stage most visible here along with a...

JPL
NASA image: KSC-2015-1077
Image
Jan 13, 2015

KSC-2015-1077

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Workers take photographs of NASA's Orion spacecraft during a viewing at the Launch Abort...

KSC
NASA image: Artemis I Spacecraft Adapter Jettison Fairing Installed - NASA M
Image
Oct 28, 2020

Artemis I Spacecraft Adapter Jettison Fairing Installed - NASA M

The Orion spacecraft for NASA’s Artemis I mission is in view inside the Neil Armstrong Operations and Checkout...

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NASA image: KSC-2015-1078
Image
Jan 13, 2015

KSC-2015-1078

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- NASA's Orion spacecraft is positioned inside the Launch Abort System Facility at NASA's...

KSC
NASA image: Europa Clipper's Elliptical Orbit
Image
Sep 9, 2024

Europa Clipper's Elliptical Orbit

NASA's Europa Clipper is tasked with up-close study of Jupiter's enigmatic moon Europa, which orbits the gas giant...

JPL
NASA image: KSC-2015-1076
Image
Jan 13, 2015

KSC-2015-1076

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Workers take photographs of NASA's Orion spacecraft during a viewing at the Launch Abort...

KSC
NASA image: Perseverance Rover at Halfway Point
Image
Oct 27, 2020

Perseverance Rover at Halfway Point

NASA's Mars 2020 Perseverance rover reached its halfway point to Jezero Crater on Oct. 27, 2020 at 1:40 p.m. PDT...

JPL
NASA image: Artemis I Spacecraft Adapter Jettison Fairing Installed - NASA M
Image
Oct 28, 2020

Artemis I Spacecraft Adapter Jettison Fairing Installed - NASA M

The NASA insignia, also called the “meatball,” and the American Flag are applied to the Orion crew module back shell...

KSC
NASA image: Artemis I Spacecraft Adapter Jettison Fairing Installed - NASA M
Image
Oct 28, 2020

Artemis I Spacecraft Adapter Jettison Fairing Installed - NASA M

The NASA insignia, also called the “meatball,” and the American Flag are applied to the Orion crew module back shell...

KSC
NASA image: Artemis I Spacecraft Adapter Jettison Fairing Installed - NASA M
Image
Oct 28, 2020

Artemis I Spacecraft Adapter Jettison Fairing Installed - NASA M

The NASA insignia, also called the “meatball,” and the American Flag are applied to the Orion crew module back shell...

KSC
NASA image: Artemis I Spacecraft Adapter Jettison Fairing Installed - NASA M
Image
Oct 28, 2020

Artemis I Spacecraft Adapter Jettison Fairing Installed - NASA M

Frank Pelkey, ASRC technician, paints a clear adhesive over the NASA insignia, also called the “meatball,” on the...

KSC
NASA image: Artemis I Spacecraft Adapter Jettison Fairing Installed - NASA M
Image
Oct 28, 2020

Artemis I Spacecraft Adapter Jettison Fairing Installed - NASA M

Shawn Corwin, at left, ASRC technician, Shawn Corwin, at left, points to the Orion spacecraft for the Artemis I...

KSC
NASA image: KSC-2015-1074
Image
Jan 13, 2015

KSC-2015-1074

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Workers take photographs of NASA's Orion spacecraft during a viewing at the Launch Abort...

KSC
NASA image: KSC-2015-1079
Image
Jan 13, 2015

KSC-2015-1079

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Workers take photographs of NASA's Orion spacecraft during a viewing at the Launch Abort...

KSC
NASA image: Artemis I Spacecraft Adapter Jettison Fairing Installed - NASA M
Image
Oct 28, 2020

Artemis I Spacecraft Adapter Jettison Fairing Installed - NASA M

Todd Biddle, ASRC technician, is shown in the foreground with the Orion spacecraft for the Artemis I mission behind...

KSC
NASA image: Artemis I Spacecraft Adapter Jettison Fairing Installed - NASA M
Image
Oct 28, 2020

Artemis I Spacecraft Adapter Jettison Fairing Installed - NASA M

The NASA insignia, also called the “meatball,” and the American Flag are applied to the Orion crew module back shell...

KSC
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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

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Earth from Space

DSCOVR EPIC daily images

Launch Schedule

Upcoming rocket launches

Space News

Mission updates & discoveries