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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 5 of 9

NASA image: 1201054
Image
Oct 26, 2012

1201054

NASA RESEARCHER DR. DAVID SMITH AT NASA’S MARSHALL SPACE FLIGHT CENTER IN HUNTSVILLE, ALA., IS LEADING A THREE-YEAR...

MSFC
NASA image: iss072e146344
Image
Nov 7, 2024

iss072e146344

iss072e146344 (11/7/2024) --- The MaRVIn system is shown in the Microgravity Glovebox (MSG) facility aboard the...

JSC
NASA image: ER-2 Crew Installs air-LUSI Moongazing Instrument
Image
Mar 4, 2025

ER-2 Crew Installs air-LUSI Moongazing Instrument

The ER-2 ground crew Wissam Habbal, left, and Dr. Kevin Turpie, airborne Lunar Spectral Irradiance (air-LUSI)...

AFRC
NASA image: NASA astronaut Mike Fincke smiles works on the Droplets fluid physics investigation
Image
Nov 25, 2025

NASA astronaut Mike Fincke smiles works on the Droplets fluid physics investigation

iss073e1193970 (Nov. 25, 2025) --- NASA astronaut and Expedition 73 Flight Engineer Mike Fincke smiles for a...

JSC
NASA image: 1201057
Image
Oct 26, 2012

1201057

NASA RESEARCHER DR. DAVID SMITH AT NASA’S MARSHALL SPACE FLIGHT CENTER IN HUNTSVILLE, ALA., IS LEADING A THREE-YEAR...

MSFC
NASA image: 1201056
Image
Oct 26, 2012

1201056

NASA RESEARCHER DR. DAVID SMITH AT NASA’S MARSHALL SPACE FLIGHT CENTER IN HUNTSVILLE, ALA., IS LEADING A THREE-YEAR...

MSFC
NASA image: iss072e146341
Image
Nov 7, 2024

iss072e146341

iss072e146341 (11/7/2024) --- The MaRVIn system is shown in the Microgravity Glovebox (MSG) facility aboard the...

JSC
NASA image: Inventor Series - Tim Bencic with Tomography System
Image
Mar 6, 2019

Inventor Series - Tim Bencic with Tomography System

How do you measure a cloud? Tim Bencic does it with lasers. The NASA Glenn engineer invented a tomography system for...

GRC
NASA image: 1201052
Image
Oct 26, 2012

1201052

NASA RESEARCHER DR. DAVID SMITH AT NASA’S MARSHALL SPACE FLIGHT CENTER IN HUNTSVILLE, ALA., IS LEADING A THREE-YEAR...

MSFC
NASA image: NASA astronauts Don Pettit and Nichole Ayers work on the NanoRacks External Platform
Image
Mar 28, 2025

NASA astronauts Don Pettit and Nichole Ayers work on the NanoRacks External Platform

iss072e861721 (March 28, 2025) --- NASA astronauts Nichole Ayers and Don Pettit, both Expedition 72 Flight...

JSC
NASA image: 1201053
Image
Oct 26, 2012

1201053

NASA RESEARCHER DR. DAVID SMITH AT NASA’S MARSHALL SPACE FLIGHT CENTER IN HUNTSVILLE, ALA., IS LEADING A THREE-YEAR...

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

Wakata working on the CIR

ISS038-E-042747 (5 Feb. 2014) --- Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency astronaut Koichi Wakata, Expedition 38 flight...

JSC
NASA image: 1201055
Image
Oct 26, 2012

1201055

NASA RESEARCHER DR. DAVID SMITH AT NASA’S MARSHALL SPACE FLIGHT CENTER IN HUNTSVILLE, ALA., IS LEADING A THREE-YEAR...

MSFC
NASA image: NASA astronauts Don Pettit and Nichole Ayers work on the NanoRacks External Platform
Image
Mar 28, 2025

NASA astronauts Don Pettit and Nichole Ayers work on the NanoRacks External Platform

iss072e861726 (March 28, 2025) --- NASA astronauts Don Pettit and Nichole Ayers, both Expedition 72 Flight...

JSC
NASA image: iss066e095422
Image
Dec 21, 2021

iss066e095422

iss066e095422 (Dec. 21, 2021) --- NASA astronaut and Expedition 66 Flight Engineer Raja Chari displays the...

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

Wakata working on the CIR

ISS038-E-042758 (5 Feb. 2014) --- Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency astronaut Koichi Wakata, Expedition 38 flight...

JSC
NASA image: Microgravity
Image
Jan 31, 2000

Microgravity

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

MSFC
NASA image: Microgravity
Image
Jan 31, 2000

Microgravity

The combustion chamber for the Combustion Integrated Rack section of the Fluids and Combustion Facility (FCF) is...

MSFC
NASA image: GSFC_20220614_PACE_053928
Image
Jun 14, 2022

GSFC_20220614_PACE_053928

Engineers from SRON, the Netherlands Institute for Space Research, move the SPEXone instrument before it is...

GSFC
NASA image: GSFC_20220614_PACE_053929
Image
Jun 14, 2022

GSFC_20220614_PACE_053929

NASA technicians and Engineers from SRON, the Netherlands Institute for Space Research, integrate the SPEXone...

GSFC
NASA image: Severe Air Pollution in New Delhi View by NASA MISR
Image
Nov 16, 2016

Severe Air Pollution in New Delhi View by NASA MISR

New Delhi, India's capital city, is currently suffering though a period of particularly poor air quality. In early...

JPL
NASA image: SpaceX CRS-13 "What's on Board?" Mission Science Briefing
Image
Dec 11, 2017

SpaceX CRS-13 "What's on Board?" Mission Science Briefing

Andrew Rush, president and chief executive officer of Made in Space, discusses his company's Fiber Optics payload,...

KSC
NASA image: Taking Profile Pictures of Gases High in the Sky
Video
Dec 4, 2015

Taking Profile Pictures of Gases High in the Sky

The Differential Optical Absorption Spectroscopy, or Mini-DOAS is a telescope instrument used to measure trace gases...

ARC
NASA image: SpaceX CRS-13 "What's on Board?" Mission Science Briefing
Image
Dec 11, 2017

SpaceX CRS-13 "What's on Board?" Mission Science Briefing

Andrew Rush, president and chief executive officer of Made in Space, discusses his company's Fiber Optics payload,...

KSC
PreviousPage 5 of 9Next

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