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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 "Return to Earth"

7,490 results found - Page 1 of 313

NASA image: Tracking a Mission’s Historic Return to Earth on This Week @NASA – September 22, 2023
Video
Sep 22, 2023

Tracking a Mission’s Historic Return to Earth on This Week @NASA – September 22, 2023

Tracking a mission’s historic return to Earth, a year of science onboard the space station, and the safe arrival of...

HQ
NASA image: Artist's concept of the Earth Return Orbiter over Mars
Image
Apr 6, 2023

Artist's concept of the Earth Return Orbiter over Mars

The Earth Return Orbiter (ERO) is one of the flight missions making up the Mars Sample Return campaign to bring...

JPL
NASA image: Earth Return Orbiter Infographic
Image
Apr 6, 2023

Earth Return Orbiter Infographic

The European Space Agency's (ESA) Earth Return Orbiter (ERO) would be the biggest spacecraft to ever orbit Mars. The...

JPL
NASA image: Stardust Returns to Earth Artist Concept
Image
Nov 3, 2005

Stardust Returns to Earth Artist Concept

Artist rendering of NASA’s Stardust returning to Earth. Stardust is the first U.S. space mission dedicated to the...

JPL
NASA image: Our First Asteroid Sample Return Mission is Back on Earth on This Week @NASA – September 29, 2023
Video
Sep 29, 2023

Our First Asteroid Sample Return Mission is Back on Earth on This Week @NASA – September 29, 2023

Our first asteroid sample return mission is back on Earth, a record ride in space for a NASA astronaut, and our...

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NASA image: Artist's Concept of Earth Return Orbiter Releasing Capsule containing Martian Samples
Image
Apr 6, 2023

Artist's Concept of Earth Return Orbiter Releasing Capsule containing Martian Samples

The Earth Return Orbiter (ERO) is one of the flight missions making up the Mars Sample Return campaign to bring...

JPL
NASA image: NASA’s Boeing Orbital Flight Test-2 Return to Earth News Conference
Video
May 25, 2022

NASA’s Boeing Orbital Flight Test-2 Return to Earth News Conference

NASA and Boeing participated in a news conference from the Johnson Space Center in Houston following the landing of...

JSC
NASA image: Artist's Concept of the Earth Entry System for Mars Sample Return
Image
Aug 3, 2023

Artist's Concept of the Earth Entry System for Mars Sample Return

This artist's concept shows Mars Sample Return Earth Entry System. The vehicle would bring curated Martian samples...

JPL
NASA image: Space Station Crew Returns Safely to Earth on This Week @NASA – April 17, 2020
Video
Apr 17, 2020

Space Station Crew Returns Safely to Earth on This Week @NASA – April 17, 2020

Space Station crew returns safely to Earth, practice for our asteroid sample return mission, and a new discovery...

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NASA image: Our SpaceX Crew-6 Mission Safely Returns to Earth on This Week @NASA – September 8, 2023
Video
Sep 8, 2023

Our SpaceX Crew-6 Mission Safely Returns to Earth on This Week @NASA – September 8, 2023

Our SpaceX Crew-6 mission safely returns to Earth, the tech demo hitching a ride on our Psyche spacecraft, and...

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NASA image: A Safe Return to Earth for a Record-Setting Astronaut on This Week @NASA – February 7, 2020
Video
Feb 7, 2020

A Safe Return to Earth for a Record-Setting Astronaut on This Week @NASA – February 7, 2020

A record-setting astronaut returns safely to Earth, practicing for the first launch of Artemis, and honoring a...

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NASA image: The Axiom Space Mission 2 Crew Return to Earth on This Week @NASA – June 2, 2023
Video
Jun 2, 2023

The Axiom Space Mission 2 Crew Return to Earth on This Week @NASA – June 2, 2023

Axiom Mission 2 crew members return to Earth, discussing unidentified anomalous phenomena, and a water plume off of...

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NASA image: Safe Return to Earth from the Space Station on This Week @NASA – April 17, 2021
Video
Apr 17, 2021

Safe Return to Earth from the Space Station on This Week @NASA – April 17, 2021

A safe return to Earth from the space station, greeting the astronauts of the next Commercial Crew flight, and an...

HQ
NASA image: Sample Return Capsule Parachuting Down To Earth Artist Concept
Image
Nov 3, 2005

Sample Return Capsule Parachuting Down To Earth Artist Concept

Artist rendering of NASA Stardust capsule returning to Earth. The Stardust spacecraft will bring back samples of...

JPL
NASA image: SpaceX Crew Mission Graphics - Return to Earth
Image
Jul 23, 2021

SpaceX Crew Mission Graphics - Return to Earth

This graphic details return operations for SpaceX missions to the International Space Station. SpaceX is one of two...

KSC
NASA image: Wernher von Braun
Image
Jan 1, 1950

Wernher von Braun

Dr. von Braun stands beside a model of the upper stage (Earth-returnable stage) of the three-stage launch vehicle...

MSFC
NASA image: Mars Sample Return: Bringing Mars Rock Samples Back to Earth
Video
Nov 17, 2022

Mars Sample Return: Bringing Mars Rock Samples Back to Earth

NASA and the European Space Agency are developing plans for one of the most ambitious campaigns ever attempted in...

JPL
NASA image: U.S. Astronaut, Crewmates Return to Earth
Video
Sep 23, 2024

U.S. Astronaut, Crewmates Return to Earth

NASA astronaut Tracy C. Dyson and Roscosmos cosmonauts Oleg Kononenko and Nikolai Chub returned to Earth aboard the...

JSC
NASA image: Orion returns to Earth after a succesful flight
Image
Dec 5, 2014

Orion returns to Earth after a succesful flight

Orion's main parachutes begin to unfurl as it returns to Earth during Exploration Flight Test-1 (EFT-1) on Dec. 5,...

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NASA image: Orion returns to Earth after a succesful flight
Image
Dec 5, 2014

Orion returns to Earth after a succesful flight

Orion's parachutes deploy as it returns to Earth after Exploration Flight Test-1 (EFT-1) on Dec. 5, 2014. Part of...

JSC
NASA image: Orion returns to Earth after a succesfull flight
Image
Dec 5, 2014

Orion returns to Earth after a succesfull flight

Orion's parachutes deploy as it returns to Earth after Exploration Flight Test-1 (EFT-1) on Dec. 5, 2014. Part of...

JSC
NASA image: Orion returns to Earth after a succesfull flight
Image
Dec 5, 2014

Orion returns to Earth after a succesfull flight

Orion's parachutes deploy as it returns to Earth after Exploration Flight Test-1 (EFT-1) on Dec. 5, 2014. Part of...

JSC
NASA image: Orion returns to Earth after a succesfull flight
Image
Dec 5, 2014

Orion returns to Earth after a succesfull flight

Orion's parachutes deploy as it returns to Earth after Exploration Flight Test-1 (EFT-1) on Dec. 5, 2014. Part of...

JSC
NASA image: Orion returns to Earth after a succesfull flight
Image
Dec 5, 2014

Orion returns to Earth after a succesfull flight

Orion's parachutes deploy as it returns to Earth after Exploration Flight Test-1 (EFT-1) on Dec. 5, 2014. Part of...

JSC
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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

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Earth from Space

DSCOVR EPIC daily images

Launch Schedule

Upcoming rocket launches

Space News

Mission updates & discoveries