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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 8 of 9

NASA image: Charles P. Conrad, Jr. and John W. Young at Visual Docking Simulator
Image
Nov 12, 1963

Charles P. Conrad, Jr. and John W. Young at Visual Docking Simulator

Astronauts Charles Conrad (left) and John W. Young (right) at the controls of the Visual Docking Simulator. From...

LRC
NASA image: Satellite Radar Detects Damage from Sept. 2017 Chiapas, Mexico Quake
Image
Sep 19, 2017

Satellite Radar Detects Damage from Sept. 2017 Chiapas, Mexico Quake

The Advanced Rapid Imaging and Analysis (ARIA) team at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California, and...

JPL
NASA image: Visual Docking Moon Simulator
Image
Sep 30, 1963

Visual Docking Moon Simulator

Astronaut James Lovell at the controls of the Visual Docking Simulator. From A.W. Vogeley, "Piloted Space-Flight...

LRC
NASA image: History of Chandra X-Ray Observatory
Image
Jan 1, 2001

History of Chandra X-Ray Observatory

Left image: The x-ray data from the Chandra X-Ray Observatory (CXO) has revealed a bright central star surrounded by...

MSFC
NASA image: NASA Damage Map Aids Northern California Wildfire Response
Image
Oct 18, 2017

NASA Damage Map Aids Northern California Wildfire Response

The Advanced Rapid Imaging and Analysis (ARIA) team at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California, and...

JPL
NASA image: Visual Docking Moon Simulator
Image
Sep 30, 1963

Visual Docking Moon Simulator

Astronaut James Lovell at the controls of the Visual Docking Simulator. From A.W. Vogeley, "Piloted Space-Flight...

LRC
NASA image: Virgil Gus Grissom's Visit to LaRC
Image
Feb 22, 1963

Virgil Gus Grissom's Visit to LaRC

Astronaut Virgil "Gus" Grissom at the controls of the Visual Docking Simulator. From A.W. Vogeley, "Piloted...

LRC
NASA image: Virgil Gus Grissom's Visit to LaRC
Image
Feb 22, 1963

Virgil Gus Grissom's Visit to LaRC

Astronaut Virgil "Gus" Grissom at the controls of the Visual Docking Simulator. From A.W. Vogeley, "Piloted...

LRC
NASA image: Frank Borman in Visual Docking Simulator
Image
Sep 30, 1963

Frank Borman in Visual Docking Simulator

Astronaut Frank Borman at the controls of the Visual Docking Simulator. From A.W. Vogeley, "Piloted Space-Flight...

LRC
NASA image: Dominica Hurricane Damage Mapped by NASA's ARIA Team
Image
Sep 29, 2017

Dominica Hurricane Damage Mapped by NASA's ARIA Team

The Advanced Rapid Imaging and Analysis (ARIA) team at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California, and...

JPL
NASA image: X-Rays from Pluto
Image
Sep 14, 2016

X-Rays from Pluto

The first detection of Pluto in X-rays has been made using NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory in conjunction with...

JPL
NASA image: Titan Mystery Clouds
Image
Dec 21, 2016

Titan Mystery Clouds

This comparison of two views from NASA's Cassini spacecraft, taken fairly close together in time, illustrates a...

JPL
NASA image: The Birth of a New Island: Press Materials
Video
Dec 11, 2017

The Birth of a New Island: Press Materials

In late December 2014, a submarine volcano in the South Pacific Kingdom of Tonga erupted, sending a violent stream...

GSFC
NASA image: WFIRST's Wide Field Instrument (shorter version)
Video
Jun 26, 2019

WFIRST's Wide Field Instrument (shorter version)

In order to know how the universe will end, we must know what has happened to it so far. This is just one mystery...

GSFC
NASA image: New Hubble Observations of Supernova 1987A Trace Shock Wave
Image
Dec 8, 2017

New Hubble Observations of Supernova 1987A Trace Shock Wave

Image release September 2, 2010 ABOUT THIS IMAGE: This image shows the entire region around supernova 1987A. The...

GSFC
NASA image: STP-3 Hosting LCRD Isolated Launch Views - 4K
Video
Dec 7, 2021

STP-3 Hosting LCRD Isolated Launch Views - 4K

United Launch Alliance’s Atlas V 551 rocket successfully launched from Launch Complex 41 on Cape Canaveral Space...

KSC
NASA image: GRC-2023-C-02724
Image
Mar 13, 2023

GRC-2023-C-02724

GRC
NASA image: STP-3 Hosting LCRD Isolated Launch Views - 720p
Video
Dec 7, 2021

STP-3 Hosting LCRD Isolated Launch Views - 720p

United Launch Alliance’s Atlas V 551 rocket successfully launched from Launch Complex 41 on Cape Canaveral Space...

KSC
NASA image: STP-3 Hosting LCRD - Live Launch Coverage
Video
Dec 7, 2021

STP-3 Hosting LCRD - Live Launch Coverage

United Launch Alliance’s Atlas V 551 rocket successfully launched from Launch Complex 41 on Cape Canaveral Space...

KSC
NASA image: STP-3 Hosting LCRD Isolated Launch Views - 1080p
Video
Dec 7, 2021

STP-3 Hosting LCRD Isolated Launch Views - 1080p

United Launch Alliance’s Atlas V 551 rocket successfully launched from Launch Complex 41 on Cape Canaveral Space...

KSC
NASA image: Hubble’s cross-section of the cosmos
Image
Dec 8, 2017

Hubble’s cross-section of the cosmos

This new Hubble image showcases a remarkable variety of objects at different distances from us, extending back over...

GSFC
NASA image: False-color composite of Oetztal, Austria
Image
Apr 13, 1994

False-color composite of Oetztal, Austria

STS059-S-072 (13 April 1994) --- This image is a false-color composite of Oetztal, Austria located in the Central...

JSC
NASA image: Space Radar Image of Bahia
Image
May 1, 1999

Space Radar Image of Bahia

This is a color composite image of southern Bahia, Brazil, centered at 15.22 degree south latitude and 39.07 degrees...

JPL
NASA image: Hotspots in Fountains on the Sun's Surface Help Explain Coronal Heating Mystery
Image
Dec 8, 2017

Hotspots in Fountains on the Sun's Surface Help Explain Coronal Heating Mystery

NASA image release January 6, 2010 Caption: Spicules on the sun, as observed by the Solar Dynamics Observatory....

GSFC
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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