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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 "Forward Heat Shield"

27 results found - Page 1 of 2

NASA image: Boeing CST-100 Starliner Landing
Image
Dec 22, 2019

Boeing CST-100 Starliner Landing

The forward heat shield is seen in the foreground of the Boeing CST-100 Starliner spacecraft landing zone shortly...

HQ
NASA image: LOFTID Flight Re-entry Vehicle Stack and Match Mate Time Lapse
Video
Mar 9, 2022

LOFTID Flight Re-entry Vehicle Stack and Match Mate Time Lapse

Langley engineers stack the forward, mid, and aft, or rear, segments of flight re-entry vehicle for Bernard Kutter’s...

LRC
NASA image: Boeing CST-100 Starliner Base Heat Shield Installation
Image
Mar 15, 2018

Boeing CST-100 Starliner Base Heat Shield Installation

On March 15, the base heat shield for Boeing’s CST-100 Starliner was freshly installed on the bottom of Spacecraft 1...

KSC
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-02pd1091
Image
Jun 28, 2002

KSC-02pd1091

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Doug Buford, with the Aft Engine shop, works at removing a heat shield on Columbia, in...

KSC
NASA image: KSC-02pd1092
Image
Jun 28, 2002

KSC-02pd1092

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- Doug Buford, with the Aft Engine shop, works at removing a heat shield on Columbia, in...

KSC
NASA image: KSC-02pd1100
Image
Jun 28, 2002

KSC-02pd1100

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- Doug Buford (top), with the Aft Engine shop, along with another worker, removes a heat...

KSC
NASA image: KSC-02pd1101
Image
Jun 28, 2002

KSC-02pd1101

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- Doug Buford, with the Aft Engine shop, removes a heat shield on one of Columbia's...

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-98pc930
Image
Aug 10, 1998

KSC-98pc930

In the Tile Fabrication Shop, Tony Rollins, with United Space Alliance, cuts a High-Temperature Reusable Surface...

KSC
NASA image: KSC-02pd1103
Image
Jun 29, 2002

KSC-02pd1103

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- In the Orbiter Processing Facility, Columbia's engine no. 2 is about to be removed....

KSC
NASA image: Boeing CST-100 Starliner Parachute Test
Image
Sep 19, 2020

Boeing CST-100 Starliner Parachute Test

Boeing CST-100 Starliner’s forward heat shield jettisons from a test article during the vehicle’s final balloon drop...

KSC
NASA image: KSC-02pd1105
Image
Jun 29, 2002

KSC-02pd1105

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- Columbia's engine no. 2 is about to be pulled from the orbiter. After small cracks...

KSC
NASA image: KSC-02pd1107
Image
Jun 29, 2002

KSC-02pd1107

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- In the Orbiter Processing Facility, Columbia's engine no. 2 is seen at left after its...

KSC
NASA image: KSC-02pd1104
Image
Jun 29, 2002

KSC-02pd1104

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- In the Orbiter Processing Facility, engine technicians position the "stinger" into...

KSC
NASA image: KSC-02pd1108
Image
Jun 29, 2002

KSC-02pd1108

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- Columbia's no. 2 engine, removed from the orbiter, is lowered toward the floor of the...

KSC
NASA image: Orion Splashdown Recovery
Image
Dec 5, 2014

Orion Splashdown Recovery

NASA's Orion spacecraft floats in the Pacific Ocean after splashdown from its first flight test in Earth orbit. The...

KSC
NASA image: KSC-02pd1106
Image
Jun 29, 2002

KSC-02pd1106

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- In the Orbiter Processing Facility, Columbia's engine no. 2 is seen at left after its...

KSC
NASA image: Orion Splashdown Recovery
Image
Dec 5, 2014

Orion Splashdown Recovery

U.S. Navy personnel aboard a rigid hull inflatable boat help recover NASA's Orion spacecraft following its...

KSC
NASA image: KSC-2014-4771
Image
Dec 5, 2014

KSC-2014-4771

SAN DIEGO, Calif. -- NASA's Orion spacecraft floats in the Pacific Ocean after splashdown from its first flight test...

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: KSC-2014-4775
Image
Dec 5, 2014

KSC-2014-4775

SAN DIEGO, Calif. -- U.S. Navy personnel aboard a rigid hull inflatable boat help recover NASA's Orion spacecraft...

KSC
NASA image: Saturn Apollo Program
Image
Jul 6, 1969

Saturn Apollo Program

The Apollo 11 mission launched from the Kennedy Space Center (KSC) in Florida via the Marshall Space Flight Center...

MSFC
NASA image: KSC-2012-4386
Image
Jul 24, 2012

KSC-2012-4386

LAS VEGAS -- The Boeing Company tests the forward heat shield FHS jettison system of its CST-100 spacecraft at the...

KSC
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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