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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 "Mercury Capsule"

329 results found - Page 4 of 14

NASA image: Big Joe launch vehicle after launching at Cape Canaveral
Image
Sep 28, 1959

Big Joe launch vehicle after launching at Cape Canaveral

B59-00556 (9 Sept. 1959) --- U.S. Air Force photo of Big Joe launch vehicle after launching at Cape Canaveral,...

JSC
NASA image: KSC-71p-0267
Image
May 5, 1961

KSC-71p-0267

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Astronaut Alan B. Shepard is being assisted by a technician in getting into his space...

KSC
NASA image: Mercury Project
Image
May 5, 1961

Mercury Project

This photo depicts the recovery operations of the MR-3 mission. Astronaut Alan Shepard was picked up by a U.S....

MSFC
NASA image: Recovery operations for the Mercury-Atlas 8 mission
Image
Jan 1, 1962

Recovery operations for the Mercury-Atlas 8 mission

S62-09050 (3 Oct. 1962) --- Aerial view of the Mercury-Atlas 8 (MA-8) Sigma 7 capsule being lowered to the deck of...

JSC
NASA image: CAMERA -"FRIENDSHIP 7" - PHOTOGRAPHS ASTRONAUT GLENN, JOHN - MERCURY-ATLAS (MA)-6
Image
Feb 20, 1961

CAMERA -"FRIENDSHIP 7" - PHOTOGRAPHS ASTRONAUT GLENN, JOHN - MERCURY-ATLAS (MA)-6

S62-00304 (20 Feb. 1962) --- Astronaut John H. Glenn Jr. is pictured aboard the Mercury-Atlas (MA-6) Friendship 7...

JSC
NASA image: View of Friendship 7 capsule on top of booster rocket
Image
Feb 20, 1962

View of Friendship 7 capsule on top of booster rocket

S62-00380 (20 Feb. 1962) --- Close-up view of the Mercury Atlas 6 (MA-6) Friendship 7 capsule on top of its booster...

JSC
NASA image: Recovery operations for the Mercury-Atlas 8 mission
Image
Oct 3, 1962

Recovery operations for the Mercury-Atlas 8 mission

S62-09049 (3 Oct. 1962) --- Aerial view of a life boat from the USS Kearsarge, recovery ship, approaching the...

JSC
NASA image: John H Glenn Jr.
Image
Feb 20, 1962

John H Glenn Jr.

Astronaut John H. Glenn Jr. uses binoculars to view the Earth through the window of the Mercury-Atlas (MA-6)...

KSC
NASA image: View of a reconstructed Mercury 1 spacecraft
Image
Feb 1, 1967

View of a reconstructed Mercury 1 spacecraft

S67-19582 (1961) --- View of the reconstructed Mercury-Atlas 1 (MA-1) spacecraft. The capsule exploded one minute...

JSC
NASA image: ASTRONAUT SCHIRRA, WALTER M., JR. - MERCURY-ATLAS (MA)-8 RECOVERY - "SIGMA 7" - PRE-SPLASHDOWN
Image
Oct 3, 1962

ASTRONAUT SCHIRRA, WALTER M., JR. - MERCURY-ATLAS (MA)-8 RECOVERY - "SIGMA 7" - PRE-SPLASHDOWN

S62-04534 (3 Oct. 1962) --- Landing with parachute extended of astronaut Walter M. Schirra's Mercury-Atlas 8 (MA-8)...

JSC
NASA image: Recovery of the Little Joe 5A spacecraft
Image
Mar 18, 1961

Recovery of the Little Joe 5A spacecraft

S61-01398 (18 March 1961) --- View of the recovery of the Little Joe-5A spacecraft which lifted off on March 18,...

JSC
NASA image: Astronaut John Glenn inspecting interior of Mercury capsule
Image
Jul 1, 1961

Astronaut John Glenn inspecting interior of Mercury capsule

S61-03744 (July 1961) --- Astronaut John H. Glenn Jr., backup astronaut for MR-4, inspects the interior of a Mercury...

JSC
NASA image: KSC-99pp1035
Image
Jul 21, 1999

KSC-99pp1035

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- This photograph shows two mercury dimes that were found inside the recently recovered...

KSC
NASA image: Mercury Project
Image
Jan 1, 1961

Mercury Project

A three-year-old chimpanzee, named Ham, in the biopack couch for the MR-2 suborbital test flight. On January 31,...

MSFC
NASA image: John H Glenn Jr. Wreath Laying Ceremony
Image
Dec 9, 2016

John H Glenn Jr. Wreath Laying Ceremony

An Atlas rocket and Mercury capsule like the ones that carried Sen. John Glenn into Earth orbit in February 1962...

KSC
NASA image: Mercury Project
Image
Jan 31, 1961

Mercury Project

A three-year-old chimpanzee, named Ham, in the biopack couch for the MR-2 suborbital test flight. On January 31,...

MSFC
NASA image: Astronaut Alan Shepard inspects his capsule on U.S. Champlain after recovery
Image
May 5, 1961

Astronaut Alan Shepard inspects his capsule on U.S. Champlain after recovery

S88-31384 (5 May 1961) --- Astronaut Alan B. Shepard Jr., Mercury-Redstone 3 (MR-3) pilot, is pictured near his...

JSC
NASA image: LIFTOFF - MERCURY-ATLAS (MR)-3- FLIGHT ATTEMPT - MECHANICAL ASTRONAUT - CAPE
Image
Apr 1, 1961

LIFTOFF - MERCURY-ATLAS (MR)-3- FLIGHT ATTEMPT - MECHANICAL ASTRONAUT - CAPE

S61-01925 (25 April 1961) --- View of the Mercury-Atlas 3 (MA-3) liftoff from Cape Canaveral, Florida on April 25,...

JSC
NASA image: Crew Members - USS Champlain - Arrival - Astronaut Alan Shepard
Image
Jan 1, 1961

Crew Members - USS Champlain - Arrival - Astronaut Alan Shepard

S61-02711 (5 May 1961) --- Crew members of the U.S. Navy Carrier Champlain cheer and take pictures of the arrival of...

JSC
NASA image: Attempted Recovery - Mercury Spacecraft - End - Mercury-Redstone (MR)-4 Mission
Image
Jul 27, 1961

Attempted Recovery - Mercury Spacecraft - End - Mercury-Redstone (MR)-4 Mission

S61-02820 (21 July 1961) --- Attempted recovery of Mercury spacecraft at end of the Mercury-Redstone 4 (MR-4)...

JSC
NASA image: Heroes and Legends Exhibit
Image
Nov 7, 2016

Heroes and Legends Exhibit

Inside the Heroes and Legends attraction at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex, interactive features include...

KSC
NASA image: Astronaut Grissom on level 3 in front of Liberty Bell 7 capsule
Image
Jul 19, 1961

Astronaut Grissom on level 3 in front of Liberty Bell 7 capsule

S61-03698 (1961) --- Astronaut Virgil I. (Gus) Grissom, suited up and ready to climb into Liberty Bell 7 spacecraft,...

JSC
NASA image: E-10598
Image
Nov 5, 1963

E-10598

In this photo of the M2-F1 lifting body and the Paresev 1B on the ramp, the viewer sees two vehicles representing...

AFRC
NASA image: Molds for Couches for Test Pilots
Image
Jul 7, 1959

Molds for Couches for Test Pilots

Molds for couches for test pilots, line the NASA Langley Research Centers model shop wall. The names of the test...

LARC
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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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