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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 "optical research"

201 results found - Page 4 of 9

NASA image: 1201050
Image
Oct 26, 2012

1201050

FROM RIGHT, MARSHALL RESEARCHER DR. DAVID SMITH, U.S. ARMY RESEARCHER KRISHNA MYNENI AND ARMY CONTRACTOR HONGROK...

MSFC
NASA image: NASA Prepares for Mock Truss-Braced Wing Tests
Image
Apr 1, 2024

NASA Prepares for Mock Truss-Braced Wing Tests

A red light confirms that the fiber of the Fiber Optic Sensing System installed on the Mock Truss-Braced Wing...

AFRC
NASA image: Helping CryoFILL Turn Oxygen into Fuel
Image
Jul 6, 2023

Helping CryoFILL Turn Oxygen into Fuel

Patrick Chan, electronics engineer, and NASA Armstrong Flight Research Center’s FOSS portfolio project manager,...

AFRC
NASA image: iss073e0028436
Image
May 12, 2025

iss073e0028436

iss073e0028436 (May 12, 2025) --- NASA astronaut Jonny Kim conducts research activities for the ADvanced Space...

JSC
NASA image: View of the Glenn Research Center Hangar from the Cleveland Hopkins Airport Runway
Image
Jun 13, 2024

View of the Glenn Research Center Hangar from the Cleveland Hopkins Airport Runway

View of the Glenn Research Center Hangar from the Cleveland Hopkins Airport Runway during a testing flight on June...

GRC
NASA image: Aerial Photograph of Glenn Research Center With Downtown Cleveland in the Distance
Image
Jun 13, 2024

Aerial Photograph of Glenn Research Center With Downtown Cleveland in the Distance

Aerial Photograph of Glenn Research Center With Downtown Cleveland in the Distance taken from the PC-12 on June 13,...

GRC
NASA image: Pilatus PC-12 Prepped for Takeoff
Image
Jun 12, 2024

Pilatus PC-12 Prepped for Takeoff

At Glenn Research Center, the PC-12 is Prepped for a flight and ready to takeoff on June 12, 2024. A team at NASA’s...

GRC
NASA image: Team Members Prep for Test Flight
Image
Jun 13, 2024

Team Members Prep for Test Flight

A team at NASA’s Glenn Research Center in Cleveland streamed 4K video footage from an aircraft to the International...

GRC
NASA image: Adam Wroblewski and Shaun McKeehan Working In PC-12 Aircraft
Image
Jun 13, 2024

Adam Wroblewski and Shaun McKeehan Working In PC-12 Aircraft

Adam Wroblewski and Shaun McKeehan Working In PC-12 Aircraft during in flight testing on June 13, 2024. A team at...

GRC
NASA image: Kurt Blankenship and James Demers Fly PC-12 Aircraft During Testing
Image
Jun 13, 2024

Kurt Blankenship and James Demers Fly PC-12 Aircraft During Testing

Kurt Blankenship and James Demers Fly PC-12 Aircraft During Testing on June 13, 2024. A team at NASA’s Glenn...

GRC
NASA image: ICESCAPE Mission
Image
Jul 3, 2010

ICESCAPE Mission

Clark University's Karen Frey and Luke Trusel work amid sea ice in the Chukchi Sea on July 4, 2010, setting up an...

HQ
NASA image: Around Marshall
Image
Apr 9, 2003

Around Marshall

The National Space Science and Technology Center (NSSTC), located in Huntsville, Alabama, is a laboratory for...

MSFC
NASA image: Around Marshall
Image
May 29, 2002

Around Marshall

The National Space Science and Technology Center (NSSTC), located in Huntsville, Alabama, is a laboratory for...

MSFC
NASA image: Microgravity
Image
Feb 27, 1998

Microgravity

NASA research Dr. Donald Frazier uses a blue laser shining through a quartz window into a special mix of chemicals...

MSFC
NASA image: Microgravity
Image
Feb 5, 1998

Microgravity

Sections of ZBLAN fibers pulled in a conventional 1-g process (right) and in experiments aboard NASA's KC-135...

MSFC
NASA image: Johnson Space Center (JSC) Lighting Laboratory Capabilities
Video
May 26, 2021

Johnson Space Center (JSC) Lighting Laboratory Capabilities

A virtual tour of the JSC Lighting Lab that provides internal and external lighting requirements verification for...

JSC
NASA image: Tether Optical Phenomena (TOP) experiment
Image
Mar 14, 1996

Tether Optical Phenomena (TOP) experiment

STS075-310-002 (22 Feb.-9 March 1996) --- Astronaut Maurizio Cheli, STS-75 mission specialist, works with the Tether...

JSC
NASA image: Microgravity
Image
Jan 31, 2000

Microgravity

The optical bench for the Fluids Integrated Rack section of the Fluids and Combustion Facility (FCF) is shown...

MSFC
NASA image:  NASA astronaut Mike Fincke displays protein crystal research hardware
Image
Aug 28, 2025

NASA astronaut Mike Fincke displays protein crystal research hardware

iss073e0548503 (Aug. 28, 2025) --- NASA astronaut and Expedtion 73 Flight Engineer Mike Fincke displays the...

JSC
NASA image: jsc2023e054753
Image
Sep 27, 2023

jsc2023e054753

jsc2023e054753 (9/27/2023) --- Optical Coherence tomography image demonstrating the retinal ultrastructure of the...

JSC
NASA image: Wakata working on the CIR
Image
Feb 5, 2014

Wakata working on the CIR

ISS038-E-042754 (5 Feb. 2014) --- Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency astronaut Koichi Wakata, Expedition 38 flight...

JSC
NASA image: Astronaut Anne McClain assembles research hardware inside Kibo laboratory module
Image
May 20, 2025

Astronaut Anne McClain assembles research hardware inside Kibo laboratory module

iss073e0118391 (May 20, 2025) --- NASA astronaut and Expedition 73 Flight Engineer Anne McClain assembles research...

JSC
NASA image: jsc2023e038732
Image
Jun 28, 2023

jsc2023e038732

jsc2023e038732 (6/9/2023) --- The MaRVIn system is shown as it will be housed in the Microgravity Glovebox (MSG)...

JSC
NASA image: Material Science
Image
Jan 12, 2003

Material Science

The Center for Advanced Microgravity Materials Processing (CAMMP), a NASA-sponsored Research Partnership Center, is...

MSFC
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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

Upcoming rocket launches

Space News

Mission updates & discoveries