CosmosObservatory
Explore
Solar System
Live
Learn
Tools
About
Cosmos Observatory
ToolsAbout
Cosmos Observatory

Explore the universe through NASA data, real-time ISS tracking, Mars rover imagery, asteroid monitoring, and comprehensive space encyclopedia. Your gateway to the cosmos.

Explore

  • APOD
  • Mars Rovers
  • Earth Imagery
  • NASA Gallery
  • ISS Tracker

Data

  • Asteroids
  • Solar System
  • Exoplanets
  • Space Weather
  • Launches

Tools

  • Glossary
  • News
  • Calculators

Legal

  • About
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use
  • Space Tools
  • Contact

Stay updated with the cosmos

Get weekly digests of APOD highlights, upcoming launches, and space events.

© 2026 Cosmos Observatory. All rights reserved. Built with for space enthusiasts.

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.

  1. Home
  2. /
  3. NASA Gallery

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 "Lidar"

402 results found - Page 1 of 17

NASA image: Lidar Measurements of Snow Falling from Martian Clouds
Image
Sep 30, 2008

Lidar Measurements of Snow Falling from Martian Clouds

Lidar Measurements of Snow Falling from Martian Clouds

JPL
NASA image: Weather Station Lidar in Action
Image
May 30, 2008

Weather Station Lidar in Action

This image is of the Canadian-built lidar in operation with the cover open was acquired at the NASA Mars Phoenix...

JPL
NASA image: HS3: Cloud Physics Lidar
Video
Sep 16, 2014

HS3: Cloud Physics Lidar

A short video about the Cloud Physics Lidar instrument onboard the HS3 Global Hawk aircraft.

GSFC
NASA image: High Altitude Lidar Observatory (HALO) Instrument
Image
Apr 10, 2019

High Altitude Lidar Observatory (HALO) Instrument

The High Altitude Lidar Observatory (HALO) instrument head, which houses the lidar instrument, is installed onto the...

AFRC
NASA image: ARC-1994-AC94-0013-9
Image
Jan 24, 1994

ARC-1994-AC94-0013-9

Lidar Atmospheric Sensing Experiment (Lase).

ARC
NASA image: High Altitude Lidar Observatory (HALO) instrument
Image
Apr 10, 2019

High Altitude Lidar Observatory (HALO) instrument

Aerosol data from the High Altitude Lidar Observatory (HALO), pictured here, will give mission scientists a better...

AFRC
NASA image: Phoenix Lidar Operation Animation
Image
May 29, 2008

Phoenix Lidar Operation Animation

This image from NASA Phoenix Mars Lander of the Canadian-built meteorological station lidar, which was successfully...

JPL
NASA image: High Altitude Lidar Observatory (HALO) instrument
Image
Apr 10, 2019

High Altitude Lidar Observatory (HALO) instrument

The High Altitude Lidar Observatory (HALO) system electronics and diagnostic tools are integrated onto the DC-8...

AFRC
NASA image: Doppler Aerosol Wind Lidar (DAWN) Instrument
Image
Apr 9, 2019

Doppler Aerosol Wind Lidar (DAWN) Instrument

Researchers Anna Noe and Eric Altman check out the Doppler Aerosol Wind Lidar (DAWN), an airborne instrument that...

AFRC
NASA image: Zenith Movie showing Phoenix Lidar Beam Animation
Image
Aug 4, 2008

Zenith Movie showing Phoenix Lidar Beam Animation

A laser beam from the Canadian-built lidar instrument on NASA Phoenix Mars Lander can be seen in this...

JPL
NASA image: NASA Aims to Create First-Ever Space-Based Sodium Lidar to Study Poorly Understood Mesosphere
Image
Dec 8, 2017

NASA Aims to Create First-Ever Space-Based Sodium Lidar to Study Poorly Understood Mesosphere

Caption: Mike Krainak (left) and Diego Janches recently won NASA follow-on funding to advance a spaceborne sodium...

GSFC
NASA image: CATS Up and Running on the Space Station
Video
Feb 26, 2015

CATS Up and Running on the Space Station

On January 22, 2015, the Cloud-Aerosol Transport System was installed on the International Space Station. This...

GSFC
NASA image: Before-and-After LIDAR Images from 2014 King Fire in El Dorado National Forest
Image
Apr 9, 2015

Before-and-After LIDAR Images from 2014 King Fire in El Dorado National Forest

New maps of two recent California megafires that combine unique data sets from the U.S. Forest Service and NASA's...

JPL
NASA image: Laser Instrument Maps Clouds that Reach Above the Sky
Video
Dec 4, 2015

Laser Instrument Maps Clouds that Reach Above the Sky

The Cloud Physics Lidar, or CPL, is a remote sensing, laser-based instrument used to measure the cloud and aerosol...

ARC
NASA image: Masten Prepares Rocket to Test Lunar Precision Landing Technology
Image
Sep 10, 2020

Masten Prepares Rocket to Test Lunar Precision Landing Technology

Masten Space Systems employees prepare its rocket to flight test NASA -licensed Psionic navigation doppler lidar...

AFRC
NASA image: GEDI Media Resources: Waveform
Video
Oct 9, 2018

GEDI Media Resources: Waveform

The Global Ecosystem Dynamics Investigation (GEDI) uses laser pulses to give a view of the 3D structure of the...

GSFC
NASA image: Kilbourne Hole: Exploring A Crater
Video
Dec 11, 2017

Kilbourne Hole: Exploring A Crater

This video looks at a NASA Goddard Instrument Field Team deployment to the Kilbourne Hole maar crater in New Mexico....

GSFC
NASA image: Growth of the Mount St. Helens Lava Dome, September 24-October 14, 2004
Image
Feb 6, 2012

Growth of the Mount St. Helens Lava Dome, September 24-October 14, 2004

This frame from an animation depicts the growth of the lava dome at Mount St. Helens during the most recent period...

JPL
NASA image: VERITAS Scientists Study Rocky Terrain in Iceland
Image
Sep 19, 2023

VERITAS Scientists Study Rocky Terrain in Iceland

During their August 2023 Iceland field campaign, international science team members of NASA's VERITAS (Venus...

JPL
NASA image: NASA F/A-18 Tests Precision Landing Tech for Space Missions
Image
Feb 24, 2025

NASA F/A-18 Tests Precision Landing Tech for Space Missions

A NASA F/A-18 research aircraft flies near NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California, on Feb....

AFRC
NASA image: Masten Launches Rocket to Test Lunar Precision Landing Technology
Image
Sep 10, 2020

Masten Launches Rocket to Test Lunar Precision Landing Technology

Masten Space Systems vertical takeoff vertical landing rocket launched September 10, 2020 to flight test...

AFRC
NASA image: GRIP Experiment 2010
Image
Aug 17, 2010

GRIP Experiment 2010

Michael Kavaya, of the NASA Langley Research Center, a Principal Investigator for the DAWN experiment, looks over...

HQ
NASA image: GRIP Experiment 2010
Image
Aug 15, 2010

GRIP Experiment 2010

Syed Ismail, from the Langley Research Center, principal investigator for the Lidar Atmospheric Sensing Experiment...

HQ
NASA image: Kate Rubins - JETT5 - jsc2024e035705
Image
May 19, 2024

Kate Rubins - JETT5 - jsc2024e035705

NASA astronaut Kate Rubins walks through the lunar-like landscape wearing the Joint AR (Joint Augmented Reality...

JSC
PreviousPage 1 of 17Next

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