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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 "explain"

1,041 results found - Page 1 of 44

NASA image: Artemis Booster Processing Explainer
Video
May 8, 2020

Artemis Booster Processing Explainer

Artemis Booster Processing Explainer

KSC
NASA image: NASA Explains the Cold Zone High Above the Tropics
Video
May 29, 2014

NASA Explains the Cold Zone High Above the Tropics

Senior Scientist Paul Newman with NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Maryland explains that a cold zone exists in...

ARC
NASA image: SOFIA Observations Explained
Image
Jun 12, 2013

SOFIA Observations Explained

Dana Backamn explains SOFIA’s observations during a flight with Airborne Astronomy Ambassador educators Adriana...

AFRC
NASA image: Professor Gerold Willing Explains the ACE-H2 Experiment Onboard the International Space Station (ISS)
Video
Feb 16, 2023

Professor Gerold Willing Explains the ACE-H2 Experiment Onboard the International Space Station (ISS)

Professor Gerold Willing explains the ACE-H2 Experiment being conducted onboard the International Space Station...

GRC
NASA image: Armstrong Center Director McBride provides NASA Administrator Bridenstine first tour of the California Armstrong Flight Research Center.
Image
Aug 28, 2018

Armstrong Center Director McBride provides NASA Administrator Bridenstine first tour of the California Armstrong Flight Research Center.

Bridenstine walks along with AFRC Center Director David McBride as McBride explains the aeronautical research...

AFRC
NASA image: Hotspots in Fountains on the Sun's Surface Help Explain Coronal Heating Mystery
Image
Dec 8, 2017

Hotspots in Fountains on the Sun's Surface Help Explain Coronal Heating Mystery

NASA image release January 6, 2010 Caption: Spicules on the sun, as observed by the Solar Dynamics Observatory....

GSFC
NASA image: INTERN RYAN CONNELLY EXPLAINS HISTORY AND WORKINGS OF RS-25 ENGI
Image
Jun 28, 2016

INTERN RYAN CONNELLY EXPLAINS HISTORY AND WORKINGS OF RS-25 ENGI

INTERN RYAN CONNELLY EXPLAINS HISTORY AND WORKINGS OF RS-25 ENGINE TO FELLOW INTERNS

MSFC
NASA image: Farley Davis and Edward Ahmad explain map of MSFC  to Fall Job S
Image
Sep 18, 2017

Farley Davis and Edward Ahmad explain map of MSFC to Fall Job S

Farley Davis and Edward Ahmad explain map of MSFC to Fall Job Shadowing Student Deshon Washington, a student at...

MSFC
NASA image: Water Falls: Show Me the Water
Video
Jul 30, 2014

Water Falls: Show Me the Water

A short video explaining the breakdown of freshwater in relative percentages by location and usage.

GSFC
NASA image: MMS Science Overview: The Mysteries of MMS
Video
Dec 10, 2014

MMS Science Overview: The Mysteries of MMS

Scientists Michael Hesse and John Dorelli explain the science objectives of the MMS mission.

GSFC
NASA image: Dryden's David Bushman explains the capabilities of the Altus UAV to NASA Langley's Charles Hudgins
Image
May 27, 2003

Dryden's David Bushman explains the capabilities of the Altus UAV to NASA Langley's Charles Hudgins

David Bushman, unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) mission manager in NASA Dryden's Airborne Science Program, explains the...

AFRC
NASA image: NASA Dryden aerospace engineer Trong Bui explains the dynamics of flight to a group of Edwards Middle School students during a recent Career Day presentation.
Image
Apr 22, 2005

NASA Dryden aerospace engineer Trong Bui explains the dynamics of flight to a group of Edwards Middle School students during a recent Career Day presentation.

NASA Dryden aerospace engineer Trong Bui explains the dynamics of flight to a group of Edwards Middle School...

AFRC
NASA image: Driving A Lunar Spacecraft
Video
Jul 27, 2015

Driving A Lunar Spacecraft

This video explains how NASA operates the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter spacecraft around the Moon.

GSFC
NASA image: ATLAS: Laser Focus: Receiver
Video
Jan 7, 2015

ATLAS: Laser Focus: Receiver

Opto-Mechanical Engineer Tyler Evans explains how the photons that bounce back from Earth are received and filtered...

GSFC
NASA image: Dryden historian Christian Gelzer explains functions of a high-altitude pressure suit to (left to right) Brandon Blankenship, Garrett Clay and Eddie Patterson
Image
Jun 22, 2004

Dryden historian Christian Gelzer explains functions of a high-altitude pressure suit to (left to right) Brandon Blankenship, Garrett Clay and Eddie Patterson

NASA Dryden historian Christian Gelzer explains functions of the high-altitude pressure suit he is wearing to (left...

AFRC
NASA image: Dr. Seong-Geun Jeong Explains Presentation on Janus Particles
Video
Feb 6, 2023

Dr. Seong-Geun Jeong Explains Presentation on Janus Particles

: Ronald Sicker, NASA Glenn Research Center’s Light Microscopy Project Manager, and Dr. Seong-Geun Jeong, a...

GRC
NASA image: Anatomy of a Raindrop
Video
May 31, 2013

Anatomy of a Raindrop

This short video explains how a raindrop falls through the atmosphere and why a more accurate look at raindrops can...

GSFC
NASA image: Unified, or Doughnut, Theory of Active, Black Holes
Image
May 22, 2014

Unified, or Doughnut, Theory of Active, Black Holes

This infographic explains a popular theory of active supermassive black holes, referred to as the unified model --...

JPL
NASA image: 20 Years of Hubble Science: Galaxies
Video
Jul 22, 2010

20 Years of Hubble Science: Galaxies

Three astronomers explain how Hubble acts like a time machine by detecting which galaxies are moving toward and away...

GSFC
NASA image: Infographic: Finding Planets With Microlensing
Image
Apr 14, 2015

Infographic: Finding Planets With Microlensing

This infographic explains how NASA Spitzer Space Telescope can be used in tandem with a telescope on the ground to...

JPL
NASA image: Supermoon Lunar Eclipse
Video
Aug 31, 2015

Supermoon Lunar Eclipse

On the night of September 27th, 2015, a supermoon lunar ecllipse will be viewable in the night sky for those living...

GSFC
NASA image: NHQ20220811ARMD13
Image
Jul 28, 2022

NHQ20220811ARMD13

Silas Webb explains his CAD aircraft design to Deputy Administrator Pam Melroy and Langley Director Clayton Turner...

HQ
NASA image: AirVenture 2022
Image
Jul 28, 2022

AirVenture 2022

Deputy Administrator Pam Melroy tours the NEXTGEN Aviators exhibit on Thursday, July 28, 2022, at EAA AirVenture....

HQ
NASA image: ATLAS: Laser Focus: Timing
Video
Jan 7, 2015

ATLAS: Laser Focus: Timing

Deputy Systems Engineer Phil Luers explains how the ATLAS transmitter and receiver subsystems come together to...

GSFC
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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