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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 "backshell"

231 results found - Page 6 of 10

NASA image: KSC-2011-7180
Image
Sep 23, 2011

KSC-2011-7180

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – In the Payload Hazardous Servicing Facility at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida,...

KSC
NASA image: KSC-2011-7178
Image
Sep 23, 2011

KSC-2011-7178

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – In the Payload Hazardous Servicing Facility at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida,...

KSC
NASA image: Perseverance Rover Decelerates in the Martian Atmosphere (Illustration)
Image
Dec 16, 2020

Perseverance Rover Decelerates in the Martian Atmosphere (Illustration)

In this illustration of its descent to Mars, the spacecraft containing NASA's Perseverance rover slows down using...

JPL
NASA image: KSC-2011-7181
Image
Sep 23, 2011

KSC-2011-7181

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – In the Payload Hazardous Servicing Facility at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida,...

KSC
NASA image: KSC-2011-7171
Image
Sep 23, 2011

KSC-2011-7171

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – In the Payload Hazardous Servicing Facility at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida,...

KSC
NASA image: KSC-2011-5068
Image
Jul 6, 2011

KSC-2011-5068

Cape Canaveral, Fla. - NASA Deputy Administrator Lori Garver, center, looks over the backshell for NASA's Mars...

KSC
NASA image: KSC-2011-7176
Image
Sep 23, 2011

KSC-2011-7176

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – In the Payload Hazardous Servicing Facility at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida,...

KSC
NASA image: Perseverance Guides Itself Towards the Surface (Illustration)
Image
Dec 16, 2020

Perseverance Guides Itself Towards the Surface (Illustration)

The aeroshell containing NASA's Perseverance rover guides itself towards the Martian surface as it descends through...

JPL
NASA image: Entering the Martian Atmosphere with the Perseverance Rover (Illustration)
Image
Dec 16, 2020

Entering the Martian Atmosphere with the Perseverance Rover (Illustration)

With its heat shield facing the planet, NASA's Perseverance rover begins its descent through the Martian atmosphere...

JPL
NASA image: KSC-01pp1072
Image
Jun 2, 2001

KSC-01pp1072

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla. -- In the Payload Hazardous Servicing Facility, both solar arrays on the Genesis...

KSC
NASA image: KSC-2012-1586
Image
Mar 1, 2012

KSC-2012-1586

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Tim Wright, a United Space Alliance engineering manager at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in...

KSC
NASA image: KSC-98pc1611
Image
Oct 29, 1998

KSC-98pc1611

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- In the Spacecraft Assembly and Encapsulation Facility-2 (SAEF-2), KSC technicians...

KSC
NASA image: KSC-98pc1609
Image
Oct 29, 1998

KSC-98pc1609

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- In the Spacecraft Assembly and Encapsulation Facility-2 (SAEF-2), a KSC technician...

KSC
NASA image: KSC-98pc1613
Image
Oct 29, 1998

KSC-98pc1613

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- In the Spacecraft Assembly and Encapsulation Facility-2 (SAEF-2), KSC technicians...

KSC
NASA image: KSC-2012-1577
Image
Mar 1, 2012

KSC-2012-1577

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Tim Wright, a United Space Alliance engineering manager at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in...

KSC
NASA image: KSC-01pp1073
Image
Jun 2, 2001

KSC-01pp1073

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla. -- Workers in the Payload Hazardous Servicing Facility check closely the solar arrays on...

KSC
NASA image: KSC-98pc1610
Image
Oct 29, 1998

KSC-98pc1610

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- In the Spacecraft Assembly and Encapsulation Facility-2 (SAEF-2), a KSC technician...

KSC
NASA image: KSC-2012-1574
Image
Mar 1, 2012

KSC-2012-1574

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Tim Wright, a United Space Alliance engineering manager at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in...

KSC
NASA image: KSC-98pc1612
Image
Oct 29, 1998

KSC-98pc1612

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- In the Spacecraft Assembly and Encapsulation Facility-2 (SAEF-2), the Mars Polar...

KSC
NASA image: KSC-2012-1573
Image
Mar 1, 2012

KSC-2012-1573

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Tim Wright, a United Space Alliance engineering manager at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in...

KSC
NASA image: KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Workers in the Payload Hazardous Servicing Facility prepare the heat shield that will be attached to the backshell, surrounding Mars Exploration Rover 1 (MER-1). NASA's twin Mars Exploration Rovers are designed to study the history of water on Mars. These robotic geologists are equipped with a robotic arm, a drilling tool, three spectrometers, and four pairs of cameras that allow them to have a human-like, 3D view of the terrain. Each rover could travel as far as 100 meters in one day to act as Mars scientists' eyes and hands, exploring an environment where humans can't yet go. MER-1 is scheduled to launch June 25 as MER-B aboard a Delta II rocket from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station.
Image
May 15, 2003

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Workers in the Payload Hazardous Servicing Facility prepare the heat shield that will be attached to the backshell, surrounding Mars Exploration Rover 1 (MER-1). NASA's twin Mars Exploration Rovers are designed to study the history of water on Mars. These robotic geologists are equipped with a robotic arm, a drilling tool, three spectrometers, and four pairs of cameras that allow them to have a human-like, 3D view of the terrain. Each rover could travel as far as 100 meters in one day to act as Mars scientists' eyes and hands, exploring an environment where humans can't yet go. MER-1 is scheduled to launch June 25 as MER-B aboard a Delta II rocket from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Workers in the Payload Hazardous Servicing Facility prepare the heat shield that will...

NASA image: KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - The aeroshell, the entry vehicle for Mars Exploration Rover 1 (MER-1), is ready for integration with its cruise stage, seen here below the backshell. What appears to be the top half of the aeroshell is the heat shield. NASA’s twin Mars Exploration Rovers are designed to study the history of water on Mars. These robotic geologists are equipped with a robotic arm, a drilling tool, three spectrometers, and four pairs of cameras that allow them to have a human-like, 3D view of the terrain. Each rover could travel as far as 100 meters in one day to act as Mars scientists' eyes and hands, exploring an environment where humans can’t yet go. The MER-1 is scheduled to launch June 25 from Launch Pad 17-A, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station.
Image
May 18, 2003

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - The aeroshell, the entry vehicle for Mars Exploration Rover 1 (MER-1), is ready for integration with its cruise stage, seen here below the backshell. What appears to be the top half of the aeroshell is the heat shield. NASA’s twin Mars Exploration Rovers are designed to study the history of water on Mars. These robotic geologists are equipped with a robotic arm, a drilling tool, three spectrometers, and four pairs of cameras that allow them to have a human-like, 3D view of the terrain. Each rover could travel as far as 100 meters in one day to act as Mars scientists' eyes and hands, exploring an environment where humans can’t yet go. The MER-1 is scheduled to launch June 25 from Launch Pad 17-A, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station.

NASA image: KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - In the Payload Hazardous Servicing Facility, workers lower the backshell with the Mars Exploration Rover 1 (MER-1) onto the heat shield. The two components form the aeroshell that will protect the rover on its journey to Mars. NASA's twin Mars Exploration Rovers are designed to study the history of water on Mars. These robotic geologists are equipped with a robotic arm, a drilling tool, three spectrometers, and four pairs of cameras that allow them to have a human-like, 3D view of the terrain. Each rover could travel as far as 100 meters in one day to act as Mars scientists' eyes and hands, exploring an environment where humans can't yet go. MER-1 is scheduled to launch June 25 as MER-B aboard a Delta II rocket from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station.
Image
May 15, 2003

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - In the Payload Hazardous Servicing Facility, workers lower the backshell with the Mars Exploration Rover 1 (MER-1) onto the heat shield. The two components form the aeroshell that will protect the rover on its journey to Mars. NASA's twin Mars Exploration Rovers are designed to study the history of water on Mars. These robotic geologists are equipped with a robotic arm, a drilling tool, three spectrometers, and four pairs of cameras that allow them to have a human-like, 3D view of the terrain. Each rover could travel as far as 100 meters in one day to act as Mars scientists' eyes and hands, exploring an environment where humans can't yet go. MER-1 is scheduled to launch June 25 as MER-B aboard a Delta II rocket from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station.

NASA image: KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - In the Payload Hazardous Servicing Facility, workers check the attachment between the backshell (above) and heat shield (below) surrounding the Mars Exploration Rover 1 (MER-1). The aeroshell will protect the rover on its journey to Mars. NASA's twin Mars Exploration Rovers are designed to study the history of water on Mars. These robotic geologists are equipped with a robotic arm, a drilling tool, three spectrometers, and four pairs of cameras that allow them to have a human-like, 3D view of the terrain. Each rover could travel as far as 100 meters in one day to act as Mars scientists' eyes and hands, exploring an environment where humans can't yet go. MER-1 is scheduled to launch June 25 as MER-B aboard a Delta II rocket from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station.
Image
May 15, 2003

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - In the Payload Hazardous Servicing Facility, workers check the attachment between the backshell (above) and heat shield (below) surrounding the Mars Exploration Rover 1 (MER-1). The aeroshell will protect the rover on its journey to Mars. NASA's twin Mars Exploration Rovers are designed to study the history of water on Mars. These robotic geologists are equipped with a robotic arm, a drilling tool, three spectrometers, and four pairs of cameras that allow them to have a human-like, 3D view of the terrain. Each rover could travel as far as 100 meters in one day to act as Mars scientists' eyes and hands, exploring an environment where humans can't yet go. MER-1 is scheduled to launch June 25 as MER-B aboard a Delta II rocket from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station.

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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

KSC

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - The aeroshell, the entry vehicle for Mars Exploration Rover 1 (MER-1), is ready for...

KSC

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - In the Payload Hazardous Servicing Facility, workers lower the backshell with the Mars...

KSC

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - In the Payload Hazardous Servicing Facility, workers check the attachment between the...

KSC