Spacecraft and Satellites

Dramatic views of various spacecraft in orbit around Earth and other celestial bodies, capturing the essence of space exploration.

Illustration of a satellite orbiting Earth with a detailed view of its solar panels and communication dish against the backdrop of space.

Thanks to NASA for providing us with these wonderful images. These images are created by NASA but you are allowed to use them in your commercial projects. PeopleImages has digitally restored and cleaned each of these images manually and spent hundreds of hours fixing scanning lines, sensor dust and noise problems. Enjoy!

Juno sattelite orbiting Jupiter Juno sattelite orbiting Jupiter Copyright: xZoonar.com/StanislavxRishnyakx 14171061

ISS012-E-24236 (8 April 2006) --- Backdropped by a blue and white Earth, the Soyuz TMA-7 spacecraft departs from the International Space Station carrying astronaut William S. (Bill) McArthur Jr., Expedition 12 commander and NASA space station science officer; Russian Federal Space Agency cosmonaut Valery I. Tokarev, flight engineer; and Brazilian Space Agency astronaut Marcos C. Pontes. Undocking occurred at 2:48 p.m. (CDT) on April 8.

Juno sattelite orbiting Jupiter Juno sattelite orbiting Jupiter. Elements of this image furnished by NASA Copyright: xZoonar.com/StanislavxRishnyakx 14361611

Space satellite orbiting the earth. Elements of this image furnished by NASA.

A space station in geo-synchronous orbit of earth with the moon in the far distance. (Made using some NASA public domain images).

An artist's concept of the Ocean Surface Topography Mission/Jason 2 Earth satellite.

Space station in orbit around Earth.

Artist's concept of the Defense Meteorological Satellite Program 5D satellite in orbit. Country: Unknown

Illustration of a satellite orbiting Earth with a detailed view of its solar panels and communication dish against the backdrop of space.

Illustration of a satellite orbiting Earth against the backdrop of space. boer00066 Copyright: xConnectxImagesx ,property released

SHOWN IS A CONCEPT IMAGE OF THE ARES V EARTH DEPARTURE STAGE AND LUNAR SURFACE ACCESS MODULE DOCKED WITH THE ORION CREW EXPLORATION VEHICLE IN EARTH ORBIT. THE DEPARTURE STAGE, POWERED BY A J-2X ENGINE, IS NEEDED TO ESCAPE EARTH'S GRAVITY AND SEND THE CREW VEHICLE AND LUNAR MODULE ON THEIR JOURNEY TO THE MOON.

JSC2004-E-18460 (April 2004) --- This artist's rendering depicts the starboard side of the International Space Station following the April 21, 2004 docking of the Soyuz 8 to the nadir port of the Zarya module. Soyuz 7 is docked to Pirs and the Progress 13 resupply vehicle is linked to the aft end of the Zvezda Service Module.

This artist's-concept illustration depicts the spacecraft of NASA's Psyche mission near the mission's target, the metal asteroid Psyche. The artwork was created in May 2017 to show the five-panel solar arrays planned for the spacecraft. The spacecraft's structure will include power and propulsion systems to travel to, and orbit, the asteroid. These systems will combine solar power with electric propulsion to carry the scientific instruments used to study the asteroid through space. The mission plans launch in 2022 and arrival at Psyche, between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter, in 2026. This selected asteroid is made almost entirely of nickel-iron metal. It offers evidence about violent collisions that created Earth and other terrestrial planets.

Illustration of a satellite orbits Earth against the backdrop of space. boer00064 Copyright: xConnectxImagesx ,property released

Space satellite orbiting the earth on a background star sun. Elements of this image furnished by NASA.

International Cooperation Phase III A Space Shuttle docked to the International Space Station (ISS) in this computer generated representation of the ISS in its completed and fully operational state with elements from the U.S., Europe, Canada, Japan, and Russia.

Chinese orbital weapons platform featured in 2001 : A Space Odyssey, in Earth orbit.

In this computer-generated representation, a space shuttle is docked to a completed and fully operational International Space Station. The ISS is to be completed with elements from the U.S., Europe, Canada, Japan and Russia.

STS066-129-043 (3-14 Nov 1994) --- Clouds over the Atlantic Ocean serve as the backdrop for this 70mm scene of the Cryogenic Infrared Spectrometers and Telescopes for the Atmosphere (CRISTA), attached to the Shuttle Pallet System (SPAS). CRISTA-SPAS was in the grasp of the Space Shuttle Atlantis' Remote Manipulator System (RMS) arm. The crew deployed the CRISTA-SPAS on November 4, 1994 and the tandem remained in free-flight until November 12, 1994 when it was retrieved by the Canadian-built RMS, controlled by payload commander Ellen Ochoa. Other crew members onboard Atlantis were astronauts Donald R. McMonagle, Curtis L. Brown, Jr., Scott E. Parazynski and Joseph R. Tanner, along with Jean-François Clervoy of the European Space Agency (ESA). The six astronauts spent 11-days in Earth-orbit in support of the Atmospheric Laboratory for Applications and Science (ATLAS-3) mission.

JSC2007-E-45918 (September 2007) --- Computer-generated artist's rendering of the International Space Station as of Sept. 18, 2007. This angle shows the port side of the orbiting complex. Progress 25 resupply vehicle undocks from the Zvezda Service Module aft port. Progress 26 resupply vehicle remains docked to the Pirs Docking Compartment and Soyuz 14 (TMA-10) spacecraft remains linked to the Zarya nadir port.

Space satellite orbiting the earth. Elements of this image furnished by NASA.

STS095-E-5084 (1 Nov. 1998) --- The Spartan 201-05 is in the grasp of Discovery's remote manipulator system (RMS) prior to release. The photo was taken with an electronic still camera (ESC) at 1:45:40 GMT, Nov. 1.

GPS satellite in Earth orbit

Geostationary orbit satellite above the Earth, 3D render

Satellit 3D-Illustration eines Satellits mit Blick auf den Mond und Vorbeizug des Halleyschen Kometen. 3D illustration of a satellite, looking at the moon and passing Halleys comet. Copyright: xZoonar.com/PierrexDietzx 21511461

Artist's concept of a NAVSTAR Global Positioning System satellite, a space-based radio navigation network. Country: Unknown

Artist's rendering of NASA's Orbiting Carbon Observatory (OCO)-2, one of five new NASA Earth science missions set to launch in 2014, and one of three managed by JPL.

3D rendering of a satellite orbiting the earth

A manned Soyuz TMA-M spacecraft docked with an extended stay module.

JSC2006-E-25659 (October 2006) --- Computer-generated scene showing a low-angle medium close view (starboard-aft) of the International Space Station, after assembly work is completed.

The Gateway space station will be humanity's first space station in lunar orbit as a vital component of the Artemis missions to return humans to the Moon for scientific discovery and chart a path for humans to Mars.

ACRIMSAT satellite orbiting Earth and rising Sun.

Space satellite orbiting the earth

A crew member aboard the Space Shuttle Atlantis captured this still image of the Hubble Space Telescope

Virtual background of CAPSTONE spacecraft optimized for desktop use (16 9). The CAPSTONE mission will demonstrate an innovative spacecraft-to-spacecraft navigation solution at the Moon from a near rectilinear halo orbit slated for Artemis Gateway.

Satellite orbiting a red planet, composite image

This is an artists concept of the Orbiting Carbon Observatory

This artist's rendering shows NASA's Juno spacecraft during its Earth flyby gravity assist on Oct. 9, 2013. On Earth below, the southern Atlantic Ocean is visible, along with the coast of Argentina.

Artist's concept of the Defense Support Program Satellite in space. Base: Vandenberg Air Force Base State: California (CA) Country: United States Of America (USA)

The Chandra X-ray Observatory as it may appear about 50,000 miles from Earth.

Spacecraft launch into space. Cosmos art. Elements of this image furnished by NASA

Space satellite orbiting the earth. Elements of this image furnished by NASA.

S125-E-012033 (19 May 2009) --- An STS-125 crewmember aboard the Space Shuttle Atlantis captured this still image of the Hubble Space Telescope as the two spacecraft continue their relative separation on May 19, after having been linked together for the better part of a week. During the week five spacewalks were performed to complete the final servicing mission for the orbital observatory. The crew deployed the giant telescope at 7:57 a.m. (CDT).

Chinese Space Station Tiangong 2022, complete view.

Satellite in space

old wood box on Earth orbit old wood box on Earth orbit. elements furnished by Nasa Copyright: xZoonar.com/StanislavxRishnyakx 17425837

Hypersonic missiles or rockets over the apocalyptic Earth. Blue Moon in the sky. Elements of this image furnished by NASA

Northrop Grummans's Cygnus space freighter, with its prominent cymbal-shaped UltraFelx solar arrays, is pictured approaching the Internmational Space Station carrying 8,300 pounds of new science experiments, crew supplies, and station hardware to replenish the Expedition 66 crew.

S69-18546 (February 1969) --- North American Rockwell artist's concept illustrating the docking of the Lunar Module ascent stage with the Command and Service Modules during the Apollo 9 mission. The two figures in the Lunar Module represent astronauts James A. McDivitt, Apollo 9 commander; and Russell L. Schweickart, lunar module pilot. The figure in the Command Module represents astronaut David R. Scott, command module pilot. The Apollo 9 mission will evaluate spacecraft lunar module systems performance during manned Earth-orbital flight.

Apollo CSM above Earth, illustration

JSC2011-E-028502 (March 2011) --- Computer-generated artists rendering of the International Space Station as of March 15, 2011. Soyuz 24 (TMA-01M) undocks from the Poisk Mini-Research Module 2 (MRM2), returning Expedition 26 crew members to Earth (Scott Kelly, Alexander Kaleri and Oleg Skripochka). Progress 41 resupply vehicle is docked to the Pirs Docking Compartment. Soyuz 25 (TMA-20) remains linked to the Rassvet Mini-Research Module 1 (MRM1). The Japanese Kounotori2 H-II Transfer Vehicle (HTV2) is attached to the Harmony nodes zenith port. The European Space Agency's Johannes Kepler Automated Transfer Vehicle-2 (ATV2) is docked to the Zvezda Service Modules aft port.

iss059e002991 (March 22, 2019) --- NASA astronaut Nick Hague, seemingly curtained by the International Space Station's solar arrays, retrieves batteries and adapter plates from an external pallet. He and NASA astronaut Anne McClain (out of frame) conducted a six-hour. 39-minute spacewalk to upgrade the orbital complex's power storage capacity on the Port-4 truss structure.

The Gateway space station will be humanity's first space station in lunar orbit as a vital component of the Artemis missions to return humans to the Moon for scientific discovery and chart a path for humans to Mars.

STS109-E-5014 (3 March 2002) --- The Hubble Space Telescope is backdropped against black space as the Space Shuttle Columbia, with a crew of seven astronauts on board, eases closer and closer in order to latch its 50-foot-long robotic arm onto a fixture on the giant telescope. As Columbia flew 350 miles above the Pacific Ocean Southwest of Mexico, with astronaut Nancy J. Currie, mission specialist, in control of the arm and astronaut Scott D. Altman, mission commander, at the controls of the shuttle, the crew went on to capture the Hubble. The image was one of a series recorded with a digital still camera.

Der Satellit Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter fliegt in der Nähe des Mondes mit Kratern und erkundet den Mond im Weltraum. Blick auf den blauen Planeten Erde von der Mondoberfläche aus *** the Satellite Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter flies in the Proximity of Moon with Craters and explored the Moon at Space View at the blue Planets Earth from the Lunar surface from 1102805030

Space satellite orbiting the earth. Elements of this image furnished by NASA.

The Hubble Space Telescope backdropped by a thin blue line of airglow which pin-points Earth's horizon at sunrise.

Space satellite orbiting the earth

iss064e020542 (Jan. 6, 2021) --- Northrop Grumman's Cygnus space freighter is pictured attached to the Canadarm2 robotic arm before being released and completing a 93-day cargo mission attached to the International Space Station.

An artist's concept showing the Lunar Atmosphere and Dust Environment Explorer (LADEE) spacecraft is seen orbiting the moon as it prepares to fire its maneuvering thrusters to maintain a safe orbital altitude.

WFIRST, the Wide Field Infrared Survey Telescope, is shown here in an artist's rendering. It will carry a Wide Field Instrument to provide astronomers with Hubble-quality images covering large swaths of the sky, and enabling several studies of cosmic evolution. Its Coronagraph Instrument will directly image exoplanets similar to those in our own solar system and make detailed measurements of the chemical makeup of their atmospheres. http //photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA20060

Space satellite orbiting the earth. Elements of this image furnished by NASA.

Artist's concept of the Advanced Design Satellite in orbit. Country: Unknown

Artist's concept of the Chinese space station Tiangon-3 in orbit.

STS109-E-5031 (3 March 2002) --- The Hubble Space Telescope is backdropped against black space as the Space Shuttle Columbia, with a crew of seven astronauts on board, eases closer and closer in order to latch its 50-foot-long robotic arm onto a fixture on the giant telescope. As Columbia flew 350 miles above the Pacific Ocean Southwest of Mexico, with astronaut Nancy J. Currie, mission specialist, in control of the arm and astronaut Scott D. Altman, mission commander, at the controls of the shuttle, the crew went on to capture the Hubble. The image was one of a series recorded with a digital still camera.

JSC2008-E-026785 (March 2008) --- Computer-generated artist's rendering of the International Space Station as of March 23, 2008. The Kibo Japanese Experiment Logistics Module -- Pressurized Section (JLP) is attached to the zenith port of the Harmony node. Dextre, also known as the Special Purpose Dextrous Manipulator (SPDM), is assembled and temporarily attached to the Destiny laboratory grapple fixture. The shuttle's Orbiter Boom Sensor System (OBSS) is stored on the S1 truss. Progress 28 remains docked to the Pirs Docking Compartment and Soyuz 15 (TMA-11) is linked to the Zarya nadir port.

Lunar Flashlight's Trajectory Correction Maneuver (Illustration). This illustration shows NASA's Lunar Flashlight carrying out a trajectory correction maneuver with the Moon and Earth in the background. Powered by the small satellite's four thrusters, the maneuver is needed to reach lunar orbit. Lunar Flashlight launched Nov. 30, 2022, and will take about four months to reach its science orbit to seek out surface water ice in the darkest craters of the Moon's South Pole. A technology demonstration, the small satellite, or SmallSat, will use a reflectometer equipped with four lasers that emit near-infrared light in wavelengths readily absorbed by surface water ice. To achieve the mission's goals with the satellite's limited amount of propellent, Lunar Flashlight will employ an energy-efficient near-rectilinear halo orbit, taking it within 9 miles (15 kilometers) of the lunar South Pole and 43,000 miles (70,000 kilometers) away at its farthest point. Only one other spacecraft has employe

3d rendering of a mission to the sun

A close-up view of the Defense Meteorological Satellite Program 5C satellite. Base: Vandenberg Air Force Base State: California (CA) Country: United States Of America (USA)

This computer-generated image depicts NASA's Juno spacecraft firing its Leros-1b main engine.

Artist's concept of the Space Test Program (STP) P-80-1 satellite, funded by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) through AFSC's Space Division. Teal Ruby, the primary experiment, is a low-altitude surveillance system. Country: Unknown

Hinode (Sunrise), formerly known as Solar-B before reaching orbit, was launched from the Uchinoura Space Center in Japan on September 23, 2006. Hinode was designed to probe into the Suns magnetic field to better understand the origin of solar disturbances which interfere with satellite communications, electrical power transmission grids, and the safety of astronauts traveling beyond the Earths magnetic field. Hinode is circling Earth in a polar orbit that places the instruments in continuous sunlight for nine months each year and allows data dumps to a high latitude European Space Agency (ESA) ground station every orbit. NASA and other science teams will support instrument operations and data collection from the spacecrafts operation center at the Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agencys (JAXAs) Institute of Space and Aeronautical Science facility located in Tokyo. The Hinode spacecraft is a collaboration among space agencies of Japan, the United States, the United Kingdom, and Euro

STS105-E-5342 (17 August 2001) --- Backdropped by a sunrise, the newly installed Materials International Space Station Experiment (MISSE) is visible. The MISSE was installed on the outside of the Quest Airlock during the first extravehicular activity (EVA) of the STS-105 mission. MISSE will collect information on how different materials weather in the environment of space. This image was taken with a digital still camera.

ISS037-E-021195 (28 Oct. 2013) --- The European Space Agencys fourth Automated Transfer Vehicle (ATV-4), also known as the “Albert Einstein,” begins its relative separation from the International Space Station during the Expedition 37 mission. The ATV-4 undocked from the aft port of the Zvezda Service Module at 4:55 a.m. (EDT) Oct. 28, 2013. The ATV, filled with trash and unneeded items, is scheduled to be sent into Earths atmosphere for a planned destructive re-entry over an uninhabited area of the south Pacific Ocean on Nov. 2.

JSC2011-E-072138 (July 2011) --- Computer-generated artists rendering of the port view of the complete configuration of the International Space Station as of July 18, 2011, following the STS-135 mission. Progress 43 is linked to the aft port of the Zvezda Service Module. Soyuz 27 (TMA-02M) is docked to the Rassvet Mini-Research Module 1 (MRM1). Progress 42 is attached to the Pirs Docking Compartment and Soyuz 26 (TMA-21) is docked to the Poisk Mini-Research Module 2 (MRM2).

This image is an artists concept of the Orbiting Carbon Observatory

Artist's concept of NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter.

This video still depicts the recently deployed starboard and port solar arrays towering over the International Space Station (ISS). The video was recorded on STS-97's 65th orbit. Delivery, assembly, and activation of the solar arrays was the main mission objective of STS-97. The electrical power system, which is built into a 73-meter (240-foot) long solar array structure consists of solar arrays, radiators, batteries, and electronics, and will provide the power necessary for the first ISS crews to live and work in the U.S. segment. The entire 15.4-metric ton (17-ton) package is called the P6 Integrated Truss Segment, and is the heaviest and largest element yet delivered to the station aboard a space shuttle. The STS-97 crew of five launched aboard the Space Shuttle Orbiter Endeavor on November 30, 2000 for an 11 day mission.

S75-28510 (July 1975) --- An artist s concept depicting the Soviet ASTP Soyuz spacecraft in Earth orbit. The three major components of the Soyuz are the spherical-shaped Orbital Module on which the letters CCCP (USSR) are printed, the bell-shaped Descent Vehicle in the center, and the cylindrical-shaped Instrument Assembly Module from which two solar panels protrude. The docking system on the Orbital Module was specially designed to interface with the docking system on the Apollo s Docking Module. The painting is by artist Paul Fjeld.

Global Surveyor orbiting Mars planet Global Surveyor orbiting Mars planet. This image elements furnished by NASA Copyright: xZoonar.com/StanislavxRishnyakx 14600896

JSC2006-E-38950 (August 2006) --- Computer generated graphic of the International Space Station configuration after STS-116/12A.1 with the addition of the P5 integrated truss segment.

Gravity Probe-B (GP-B) is the relativity experiment being developed at Stanford University to test two extraordinary predictions of Albert Einstein's general theory of relativity. The experiment will measure, very precisely, the expected tiny changes in the direction of the spin axes of four gyroscopes contained in an Earth-orbiting satellite at a 400-mile altitude. So free are the gyroscopes from disturbance that they will provide an almost perfect space-time reference system. They will measure how space and time are very slightly warped by the presence of the Earth, and, more profoundly, how the Earth's rotation very slightly drags space-time around with it. These effects, though small for the Earth, have far-reaching implications for the nature of matter and the structure of the Universe. GP-B is among the most thoroughly researched programs ever undertaken by NASA. This is the story of a scientific quest in which physicists and engineers have collaborated closely over many years. I

Launched in the mid-1960s, the Ranger fleet of spacecraft provided live television transmissions of the Moon from lunar orbit for the first time.

S75-28511 (July 1975) --- An artist s concept depicting the American and Soviet spacecraft docked in Earth orbit during the July 1975 Apollo-Soyuz Test Project mission. The Apollo Command/Service Module is on the left, the Docking Module is in the center, and the Soyuz spacecraft is on the right. The first docking of spacecraft from two different nations was scheduled for July 17, 1975. The American and Soviet ASTP crewmen planned to visit each other s spacecraft while Apollo and Soyuz are docked for a maximum period of two days. The docking system on the Docking Module and the docking system on the Soyuz Orbital Module are designed to interface with each other. The painting is by artist Paul Fjeld.

Artist's concept of the Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) from December 2002.

Spacecraft Soyuz orbiting the earth. Elements of this image furnished by NASA.

ISS027-E-036813 (23 May 2011) --- This image of the International Space Station and the docked space shuttle Endeavour, flying at an altitude of approximately 220 miles, was taken by Expedition 27 crew member Paolo Nespoli from the Soyuz TMA-20 following its undocking on May 23, 2011 (USA time). The pictures taken by Nespoli are the first taken of a shuttle docked to the International Space Station from the perspective of a Russian Soyuz spacecraft. Onboard the Soyuz were Russian cosmonaut and Expedition 27 commander Dmitry Kondratyev; Nespoli, a European Space Agency astronaut; and NASA astronaut Cady Coleman. Coleman and Nespoli were both flight engineers. The three landed in Kazakhstan later that day, completing 159 days in space.

This is an artist's rendition of an antimatter propulsion system. Matter - antimatter arnihilation offers the highest possible physical energy density of any known reaction substance. It is about 10 billion times more powerful than that of chemical engergy such as hydrogen and oxygen combustion. Antimatter would be the perfect rocket fuel, but the problem is that the basic component of antimatter, antiprotons, doesn't exist in nature and has to manufactured. The process of antimatter development is on-going and making some strides, but production of this as a propulsion system is far into the future.

Space satellite orbiting the earth

Space station orbiting Mars, computer illustration.

Hubble Space Telescope

STS115-301-008 (11 Sept. 2006) --- Backdropped against the blackness of space, the International Space Station was photographed by one of the STS-115 crewmembers as the Space Shuttle Atlantis approached the station during rendezvous and docking activities on flight day three.

JSC2001-E-19790 (July 2001) --- A computer-generated representation showing the Space Station Remote Manipulator System (SSRMS) lifting the Quest Airlock out of the payload bay of the Space Shuttle Atlantis during the STS-104 mission.

Artist's concept of the Defense Meteorological Satellite Program 5D satellite in orbit. Country: Unknown

Artist's rendering of NASA's Stardust spacecraft. The spacecraft was launched on February 7, 1999, from Cape Canaveral Air Station, Florida, aboard a Delta II rocket.

Astronauts work on a space station while a space shuttle approaches.

JSC2009-E-224041 (November 2009) --- Computer-generated artists rendering of the International Space Station as of November 2009, after the STS-129/ULF3 installation of the ExPRESS Logistic Carrier 1 (port nadir) and ExPRESS Logistic Carrier 2 (starboard zenith) on the central truss. The Russian Mini-Research Module 2 (MRM2) docks to the Zvezda Service Modules zenith port as of Nov. 12.

Soyuz spacecraft, illustration

NASA DART asteroid mission, illustration

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