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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 "optical system"

608 results found - Page 1 of 26

NASA image: AFRC2017-0092-07
Image
Apr 25, 2017

AFRC2017-0092-07

The Fiber Optic Sensing System team includes in the front from left Nick Finks, Ryan Warner, Patrick Chan and Paul...

AFRC
NASA image: AFRC2017-0092-02
Image
Apr 25, 2017

AFRC2017-0092-02

Shideh Naderi works on designing the electronics for the next generation Fiber Optic Sensing System.

AFRC
NASA image: AFRC2017-0092-04
Image
Apr 25, 2017

AFRC2017-0092-04

Patrick Chan demonstrates one way that the Fiber Optic Sensing System is used by bending a fiber with a 3D...

AFRC
NASA image: NASA WISE Imager Optics
Image
Oct 13, 2009

NASA WISE Imager Optics

NASA Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer, or WISE, back-end imager optics. This picture shows the imager optics...

JPL
NASA image: EC93-42065-6
Image
Jul 12, 1993

EC93-42065-6

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration's Systems Research Aircraft (SRA), a highly modified F-18 jet...

AFRC
NASA image: 4k Video Streaming from PC-12 Aircraft
Image
May 20, 2024

4k Video Streaming from PC-12 Aircraft

Dave Brennen, an electronics technician, installing the optical system under the belly of the PC-12 aircraft that...

GRC
NASA image: Mars Laser Communication Demonstration, Artist Concept
Image
Mar 29, 2005

Mars Laser Communication Demonstration, Artist Concept

This illustration depicts a concept for operation of an optical communications system on NASA Mars...

JPL
NASA image: Environmental Testing Next for Space FOSS
Image
Sep 10, 2020

Environmental Testing Next for Space FOSS

NASA research engineer Jonathan Lopez secures a Compact Fiber Optic Sensing System unit, also known as a FOSS Rocket...

AFRC
NASA image: Inventor Series - Tim Bencic with Tomography System
Image
Mar 6, 2019

Inventor Series - Tim Bencic with Tomography System

How do you measure a cloud? Tim Bencic does it with lasers. The NASA Glenn engineer invented a tomography system for...

GRC
NASA image: KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - A worker calibrates a tracking telescope, part of the Distant Object Attitude Measurement System (DOAMS),  located in Cocoa Beach, Fla.  The telescope provides optical support for launches from KSC and Cape Canaveral.
Image
Sep 3, 2003

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - A worker calibrates a tracking telescope, part of the Distant Object Attitude Measurement System (DOAMS), located in Cocoa Beach, Fla. The telescope provides optical support for launches from KSC and Cape Canaveral.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - A worker calibrates a tracking telescope, part of the Distant Object Attitude...

KSC
NASA image: KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -   Workers calibrate a tracking telescope, part of the Distant Object Attitude Measurement System (DOAMS),  located in Cocoa Beach, Fla.  The telescope provides optical support for launches from KSC and Cape Canaveral.
Image
Sep 3, 2003

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Workers calibrate a tracking telescope, part of the Distant Object Attitude Measurement System (DOAMS), located in Cocoa Beach, Fla. The telescope provides optical support for launches from KSC and Cape Canaveral.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Workers calibrate a tracking telescope, part of the Distant Object Attitude Measurement...

KSC
NASA image: KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -  Workers calibrate a tracking telescope, part of the Distant Object Attitude Measurement System (DOAMS),  located in Cocoa Beach, Fla.  The telescope provides optical support for launches from KSC and Cape Canaveral.
Image
Sep 3, 2003

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Workers calibrate a tracking telescope, part of the Distant Object Attitude Measurement System (DOAMS), located in Cocoa Beach, Fla. The telescope provides optical support for launches from KSC and Cape Canaveral.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Workers calibrate a tracking telescope, part of the Distant Object Attitude Measurement...

KSC
NASA image: KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - A worker calibrates a tracking telescope, part of the Distant Object Attitude Measurement System (DOAMS),  located in Cocoa Beach, Fla.  The telescope provides optical support for launches from KSC and Cape Canaveral.
Image
Sep 3, 2003

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - A worker calibrates a tracking telescope, part of the Distant Object Attitude Measurement System (DOAMS), located in Cocoa Beach, Fla. The telescope provides optical support for launches from KSC and Cape Canaveral.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - A worker calibrates a tracking telescope, part of the Distant Object Attitude...

KSC
NASA image: KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -   Workers calibrate a tracking telescope, part of the Distant Object Attitude Measurement System (DOAMS),  located in Cocoa Beach, Fla.  The telescope provides optical support for launches from KSC and Cape Canaveral.
Image
Sep 3, 2003

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Workers calibrate a tracking telescope, part of the Distant Object Attitude Measurement System (DOAMS), located in Cocoa Beach, Fla. The telescope provides optical support for launches from KSC and Cape Canaveral.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Workers calibrate a tracking telescope, part of the Distant Object Attitude Measurement...

KSC
NASA image: NASA Temperature and Strain Measurement System Ready for Tests
Image
Feb 13, 2025

NASA Temperature and Strain Measurement System Ready for Tests

Jonathan Lopez works on a hypersonic Fiber Optic Sensing System at NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center in...

AFRC
NASA image: NASA Temperature and Strain Measurement System Ready for Tests
Image
Feb 13, 2025

NASA Temperature and Strain Measurement System Ready for Tests

Jonathan Lopez and Allen Parker confer on the hypersonic Fiber Optic Sensor System at NASA’s Armstrong Flight...

AFRC
NASA image: NASA Completes Vibration Tests on Temperature and Strain Measurement System
Image
Mar 26, 2025

NASA Completes Vibration Tests on Temperature and Strain Measurement System

Jonathan Lopez prepares the hypersonic Fiber Optic Sensing System for vibration tests in the Environmental...

AFRC
NASA image: NASA Completes Vibration Tests on Temperature and Strain Measurement System
Image
Mar 26, 2025

NASA Completes Vibration Tests on Temperature and Strain Measurement System

Jonathan Lopez prepares the hypersonic Fiber Optic Sensing System for vibration tests in the Environmental...

AFRC
NASA image: NASA Completes Vibration Tests on Temperature and Strain Measurement System
Image
Mar 26, 2025

NASA Completes Vibration Tests on Temperature and Strain Measurement System

Jonathan Lopez and Nathan Rick prepare the hypersonic Fiber Optic Sensing System for vibration tests in the...

AFRC
NASA image: Rosetta Comet Spreads its Jets
Image
Oct 24, 2014

Rosetta Comet Spreads its Jets

This image was taken by the Optical, Spectroscopic, and Infrared Remote Imaging System, Rosetta main onboard...

JPL
NASA image: Helping CryoFILL Turn Oxygen into Fuel
Image
Jul 18, 2023

Helping CryoFILL Turn Oxygen into Fuel

A tank is used in CryoFILL experiments to liquefy oxygen at minus 290 degrees Fahrenheit as it could be done on the...

GRC
NASA image: Helping CryoFILL Turn Oxygen into Fuel
Image
Jul 18, 2023

Helping CryoFILL Turn Oxygen into Fuel

A tank is used in CryoFILL experiments to liquefy oxygen at minus 290 degrees Fahrenheit as it could be done on the...

GRC
NASA image: Helping CryoFILL Turn Oxygen into Fuel
Image
Jul 18, 2023

Helping CryoFILL Turn Oxygen into Fuel

A tank is used in CryoFILL experiments to liquefy oxygen at minus 290 degrees Fahrenheit as it could be done on the...

GRC
NASA image: Helping CryoFILL Turn Oxygen into Fuel
Image
Jul 18, 2023

Helping CryoFILL Turn Oxygen into Fuel

A tank is used in CryoFILL experiments to liquefy oxygen at minus 290 degrees Fahrenheit as it could be done on the...

GRC
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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