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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 "51L"

169 results found - Page 1 of 8

NASA image: Views of Mission Control during launch of STS-51L
Image
Jan 28, 1986

Views of Mission Control during launch of STS-51L

51L-S-002 (28 Jan. 1986) --- Flight directors Jay H. Greene (foreground) and Alan L. (Lee) Briscoe study data on...

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NASA image: Liftoff of Shuttle Challenger for STS 51-L mission
Image
Jan 28, 1986

Liftoff of Shuttle Challenger for STS 51-L mission

51L-S-156 (28 Jan. 1986) --- The space shuttle Challenger lifted off from Pad 39B Jan. 28, 1986 at 11:38 a.m. (EST)...

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NASA image: Teacher in Space - STS-33/51L
Image
Sep 12, 1985

Teacher in Space - STS-33/51L

Views of STS-33/51L crew personnel Prime McAuliffe and Backup Morgan at the ILC Facility during clothing selection...

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NASA image: View of left SRB first piece retrieval
Image
Mar 8, 1986

View of left SRB first piece retrieval

51L-10162 (8-9 March 1986) --- View of the left solid rocket booster first piece retrieval #11 (STS-51L space...

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NASA image: CREW TRAINING - STS-33/51L - JSC
Image
Sep 12, 1985

CREW TRAINING - STS-33/51L - JSC

Candid views of the STS-33/51L Crew during study periods in their offices on 09/09/1985. Astronauts Michael J. Smith...

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NASA image: CREW TRAINING - STS-33/51L - JSC
Image
Sep 12, 1985

CREW TRAINING - STS-33/51L - JSC

Candid views of the STS-33/51L Crew during study periods in their offices, 09/09/1985. Astronauts Michael J. Smith,...

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NASA image: View of ice on the launch complex
Image
Jan 28, 1986

View of ice on the launch complex

51L-10147 (28 Jan. 1986) --- View of ice on the 51-L launch complex. Photo credit: NASA

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NASA image: Signs of black smoke during Liftoff of the Shuttle Challenger STS 51-L
Image
Jan 28, 1986

Signs of black smoke during Liftoff of the Shuttle Challenger STS 51-L

51L-10096 (12 Feb 1986) --- Time as of 0.445, first evidence of black smoke right hand (RH) solid rocket booster...

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NASA image: CREW TRAINING - STS-33/51L - JSC
Image
Sep 12, 1985

CREW TRAINING - STS-33/51L - JSC

Candid views of the STS-33/51L Crew during study periods in their offices on 09/09/1985. Portrait of Astronaut...

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NASA image: View of the STS 51-L Memorial service on JSC's main mall
Image
Jan 31, 1986

View of the STS 51-L Memorial service on JSC's main mall

51L-S-127 (31 Jan. 1986) --- A wide angle lens was used to capture only a portion of the crowd gathered for memorial...

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NASA image: CREW TRAINING - STS-33/51L (ZERO-G)
Image
Oct 16, 1985

CREW TRAINING - STS-33/51L (ZERO-G)

S85-42474 (16 Oct. 1985) --- A KC-135 aircraft provides a brief period of weightlessness as a preview for a teacher,...

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NASA image: Crewmembers of the STS 51-L mission at pre-launch breakfast
Image
Jan 28, 1986

Crewmembers of the STS 51-L mission at pre-launch breakfast

51L-S-029 (28 Jan. 1986) --- Crew members of the STS-51L mission are seated for breakfast launch morning in the...

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NASA image: Barbara Morgan, 51-L backup payload specialist, at Memorial service
Image
Jan 31, 1986

Barbara Morgan, 51-L backup payload specialist, at Memorial service

51L-S-108 (31 Jan. 1986) --- Barbara R. Morgan, 51-L backup payload specialist to Christa McAuliffe, with others on...

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NASA image: Crew Training - STS-33/51L (Photography)
Image
Sep 27, 1985

Crew Training - STS-33/51L (Photography)

View of STS-33/51L Prime Teacher, Christa McAuliffe (left foreground) and Barbara Morgan (second left), both...

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NASA image: Segment of Challenger's right wing unloaded at KSC Logistics Facility
Image
Apr 18, 1986

Segment of Challenger's right wing unloaded at KSC Logistics Facility

51L-10187 (18 April 1986) --- A 9'7" x 16' segment of Challenger's right wing is unloaded at the Logistics Facility...

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NASA image: Members of the Presidential commission on Challenger accident arrive at KSC
Image
Mar 4, 1986

Members of the Presidential commission on Challenger accident arrive at KSC

51L-10166 (4 March 1986) --- Members of the Presidential Commission on the space shuttle Challenger accident arrive...

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NASA image: CREW TRAINING - STS-33/51L (ZERO-G)
Image
Nov 20, 1985

CREW TRAINING - STS-33/51L (ZERO-G)

S85-44835 (20 Nov. 1985) --- This flying human chain represents prime and backup payload specialists for two...

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NASA image: Official Portrait - STS-51L Crewmembers
Image
Jan 1, 1985

Official Portrait - STS-51L Crewmembers

S85-44253 (November 1985) --- Five astronauts and two payload specialists make up the crew, scheduled to fly aboard...

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NASA image: CREW TRAINING - STS-33/51L (ZERO-G)
Image
Oct 16, 1985

CREW TRAINING - STS-33/51L (ZERO-G)

S85-42473 (16 Oct. 1985) --- Sharon Christa McAuliffe, a teacher-citizen observer on STS-51L, smiles before...

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NASA image: CREW TRAINING - STS-33/51L - JSC
Image
Sep 19, 1985

CREW TRAINING - STS-33/51L - JSC

S85-40509 (23 Sept. 1985) --- Two women representing the Teacher-in-Space project undergo training in preparation...

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NASA image: Crew Training - STS-33/51L - JSC
Image
Sep 19, 1985

Crew Training - STS-33/51L - JSC

S85-40508 (23 Sept. 1985) --- Two women representing the Teacher-in-Space project undergo training in preparation...

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NASA image: Crew Training - STS-33/51L (Zero-G)
Image
Oct 16, 1985

Crew Training - STS-33/51L (Zero-G)

S85-42470 (16 Oct. 1985) --- Sharon Christa McAuliffe, right, and Barbara R. Morgan, participating in the...

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NASA image: Liftoff of Shuttle Challenger for STS 51-L mission
Image
Jan 28, 1986

Liftoff of Shuttle Challenger for STS 51-L mission

51L-S-157 (28 Jan. 1986) --- The space shuttle Challenger lifted off from Pad 39B Jan. 28, 1986 at 11:38 a.m. (EST)...

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NASA image: Liftoff of Shuttle Challenger for STS 51-L mission
Image
Jan 28, 1986

Liftoff of Shuttle Challenger for STS 51-L mission

51L-S-155 (28 Jan. 1986) --- The space shuttle Challenger lifted off from Pad 39B Jan. 28, 1986 at 11:38 a.m. (EST)...

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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.

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