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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 "Shockwaves"

85 results found - Page 1 of 4

NASA image: EC95-43024-2
Image
Mar 22, 1995

EC95-43024-2

The single-seat F-16XL, NASA 849, joins up with an SR-71A, NASA 844, as crews set up for one of the flights in the...

AFRC
NASA image: EC95-43024-3
Image
Mar 22, 1995

EC95-43024-3

The single-seat F-16XL, NASA 849, joins up with an SR-71A, NASA 844, as crews set up for one of the flights in the...

AFRC
NASA image: EC95-43024-7
Image
Mar 22, 1995

EC95-43024-7

The single-seat F-16XL, NASA 849, joins up with an SR-71A, NASA 844, as crews set up for one of the flights in the...

AFRC
NASA image: Caught: A Supernova Shock Breakout Artist Concept
Image
Mar 21, 2016

Caught: A Supernova Shock Breakout Artist Concept

The brilliant flash of an exploding star shockwave -- what astronomers call the hock breakout -- is illustrated in...

JPL
NASA image: A Supernova Shockwaves
Image
Jun 13, 2007

A Supernova Shockwaves

Supernovae are the explosive deaths of the universe most massive stars. This false-color composite from NASA Spitzer...

JPL
NASA image: Magnetic Fields and Bow Shocks Illustration
Image
Feb 19, 2013

Magnetic Fields and Bow Shocks Illustration

This illustration shows quasi-parallel top and quasi-perpendicular bottom magnetic field conditions at a planetary...

JPL
NASA image: NASA's F-15B research testbed jet flew in the supersonic shockwave of a Northrop Grumman Corp. - modified U.S. Navy F-5E jet in support of the Shaped Sonic Boom Demonstration project.
Image
Aug 25, 2003

NASA's F-15B research testbed jet flew in the supersonic shockwave of a Northrop Grumman Corp. - modified U.S. Navy F-5E jet in support of the Shaped Sonic Boom Demonstration project.

NASA's F-15B research testbed jet from NASA's Dryden Flight Research Center flew in the supersonic shockwave of a...

AFRC
NASA image: NASA's F-15B research testbed jet flew in the supersonic shockwave of a Northrop Grumman Corp. - modified U.S. Navy F-5E jet in support of the Shaped Sonic Boom Demonstration project.
Image
Aug 23, 2003

NASA's F-15B research testbed jet flew in the supersonic shockwave of a Northrop Grumman Corp. - modified U.S. Navy F-5E jet in support of the Shaped Sonic Boom Demonstration project.

NASA's F-15B research testbed jet from NASA's Dryden Flight Research Center flew in the supersonic shockwave of a...

AFRC
NASA image: NASA's F-15B research testbed jet from the NASA Dryden Flight Research Center flew in the supersonic shockwave of a Northrop Grumman Corp. modified F-5E in support of the Shaped Sonic Boom Demonstration (SSBD) project, which is part of DARPA's Quiet Supers
Image
Aug 25, 2003

NASA's F-15B research testbed jet from the NASA Dryden Flight Research Center flew in the supersonic shockwave of a Northrop Grumman Corp. modified F-5E in support of the Shaped Sonic Boom Demonstration (SSBD) project, which is part of DARPA's Quiet Supers

NASA's F-15B research testbed jet from the NASA Dryden Flight Research Center flew in the supersonic shockwave of a...

AFRC
NASA image: Geometry of the Blue Ring Nebula (Animation)
Image
Nov 18, 2020

Geometry of the Blue Ring Nebula (Animation)

The Blue Ring Nebula is thought to be the product of two stars merging into one. The collision of the bodies ejected...

JPL
NASA image: Lower Empennage Test Fit Install
Image
Jan 27, 2023

Lower Empennage Test Fit Install

Here is a close-up of the GE F414 engine, from the aft deck or rear, before the tail section of the X-59 is lifted...

LRC
NASA image: AirBOS4
Image
Dec 12, 2018

AirBOS4

Composite image of Background Oriented Schlieren (BOS) data (contour) with a cut-out images of the T-38’s during a...

ARC
Image
Dec 12, 2018

AirBOS4

Composite image of Background Oriented Schlieren (BOS) data (contour) with a cut-out images of the T-38’s during a...

ARC
NASA image: AirBOS4
Image
Dec 12, 2018

AirBOS4

Composite image of Background Oriented Schlieren (BOS) data (contour) with a cut-out images of the T-38’s during a...

ARC
NASA image: NASA's F-15B from the Dryden Flight Research Center flew in the supersonic shockwave of a modified U.S. Navy F-5E jet in support of the Shaped Sonic Boom Demonstration (SSBD) project. On Aug. 27, 2003, the F-5 SSBD aircraft demonstrated a method to reduce
Image
Aug 25, 2003

NASA's F-15B from the Dryden Flight Research Center flew in the supersonic shockwave of a modified U.S. Navy F-5E jet in support of the Shaped Sonic Boom Demonstration (SSBD) project. On Aug. 27, 2003, the F-5 SSBD aircraft demonstrated a method to reduce

NASA's F-15B research testbed jet from NASA's Dryden Flight Research Center flew in the supersonic shockwave of a...

AFRC
NASA image: Spitzer Captures Messier 87
Image
Apr 25, 2019

Spitzer Captures Messier 87

This image from NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope shows the elliptical galaxy Messier 87 (M87), the home galaxy of the...

JPL
NASA image: X-59 - Glamour Shoot Day
Image
Dec 12, 2023

X-59 - Glamour Shoot Day

NASA’s X-59 quiet supersonic research aircraft sits on a ramp at Lockheed Martin Skunk Works in Palmdale,...

AFRC
NASA image: Northrop Grumman Corp.'s modified F-5E Shaped Sonic Boom Demonstration (SSBD) aircraft flies off the wing of NASA's F-15B Research testbed aircraft.
Image
Aug 25, 2003

Northrop Grumman Corp.'s modified F-5E Shaped Sonic Boom Demonstration (SSBD) aircraft flies off the wing of NASA's F-15B Research testbed aircraft.

In a role-reversal, Northrop Grumman Corp.'s modified F-5E Shaped Sonic Boom Demonstration (SSBD) aircraft flies off...

AFRC
NASA image: AirBOS4
Image
Dec 18, 2018

AirBOS4

Composite image of Background Oriented Schlieren (BOS) data (contour) with a cut-out images of the T-38’s during a...

ARC
NASA image: High-Altitude View from F/A-18 During QSF18 Flight Series
Image
Nov 5, 2018

High-Altitude View from F/A-18 During QSF18 Flight Series

The Gulf of Mexico as seen from NASA photographer Carla Thomas at high altitude in the F/A-18 research aircraft...

AFRC
NASA image: High-Altitude View from F/A-18 During QSF18 Flight Series
Image
Nov 5, 2018

High-Altitude View from F/A-18 During QSF18 Flight Series

The Gulf of Mexico as seen from NASA photographer Carla Thomas at high altitude in the F/A-18 research aircraft...

AFRC
NASA image: X-59 - Glamour Shoot Day
Image
Dec 12, 2023

X-59 - Glamour Shoot Day

NASA’s X-59 quiet supersonic research aircraft sits on a ramp at Lockheed Martin Skunk Works in Palmdale,...

AFRC
NASA image: High-Altitude View from F/A-18 During QSF18 Flight Series
Image
Nov 5, 2018

High-Altitude View from F/A-18 During QSF18 Flight Series

The Gulf of Mexico as seen from NASA photographer Carla Thomas at high altitude in the F/A-18 research aircraft...

AFRC
NASA image: High-Altitude View from F/A-18 During QSF18 Flight Series
Image
Nov 5, 2018

High-Altitude View from F/A-18 During QSF18 Flight Series

The Gulf of Mexico as seen from NASA photographer Carla Thomas at high altitude in the F/A-18 research aircraft...

AFRC
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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

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Mission updates & discoveries