Primarily designed to give astronauts a way to see the outside of the ISS, it also provides stunning panoramic views of Earth and space.
Published Feb 20, 2010
With much of their time committed to construction of the International Space Station, astronauts and cosmonauts are also beginning their first scientific studies. The Destiny Laboratory just joined to the International Space Station includes the best optical quality window ever flown on a human-occupied spacecraft. The window will eventually host a number of remote sensing experiments that will use a special rack system, the Window Observational Research Facility or WORF, for mechanical and electrical support (Eppler et al. 1996). Until the WORF is complete in June 2002, astronauts are photographing the Earth’s surface as part of an early project, Crew Earth Observations.
Published Feb 16, 2001
Astronauts supplied the International Space Station with a new logistics module; tested tools, technologies, and techniques to refuel satellites in space; and collected old equipment.
Published Jul 21, 2011
This high-resolution photograph taken by astronauts on board the International Space Station shows details of Athens’ historic ruins. The detail panel shows actual pixels for the area of the Acropolis—some of the most distinctive features are the Parthenon, and Odeum of Herodes Atticus.
Published Dec 22, 2002
This image of the El Paso-Juárez area on the U.S.-Mexico border is the 100,000th photograph of Earth that astronauts have taken from the International Space Station. It was taken on January 26, 2004, by Expedition 8 crewmembers. The Rio Grande can be seen meandering through the area, forming the boundary between the sister cities of El Paso, Texas and Juárez, Chihuahua. North is to the right in this image, and the setting sun has cast the east side of the Sierra Juárez and Franklin Mountains into shadow.
Published Feb 9, 2004
When the DSCOVR mission was conceived in the late 1990s, one of the central ideas was to provide daily, natural-color views of the entire Earth so that everyday citizens could see it. Seventeen years later, we have that view.
Published Oct 23, 2015
A series of digital photographs of Houston illustrates the new detail being obtained for cities around the world by crewmembers on the International Space Station. This image, captured on 17 December 2000 centers on the downtown region and shows extensive detail of streets, parks and major buildings.
Published Jun 3, 2001
An Earth Observatory reader used widely available software to correct the oblique perspective of an earlier photograph of Montserrat and to adjust the color. The story of how he modified the image includes step-by-step instructions that can be applied to other photographs.
Published Mar 27, 2002
From one million miles away, the DSCOVR satellite returned its first view of the entire sunlit side of Earth.
Published Jul 21, 2015
This image represents, for its time, the greatest detail of the Giza plateau captured from a human-occupied spacecraft.
Published Oct 14, 2001
Space Shuttle Atlantis approaches the International Space Station for docking for the last time on July 10, 2011.
Published Jul 15, 2011
As NASA's latest care package heads toward the International Space Station, it traveled over beautiful Earth landscapes—from scenic snowscapes to desolate deserts.
Published Dec 21, 2018
The above photo of the International Space Station was taken by an astronaut aboard the space shuttle on April 17, 2002. Although its construction is not yet complete, Space Station Alpha began operations in November 2000. It now serves as home to three astronauts as well as dozens of already ongoing science experiments.
Published Jan 25, 2003
