Why NASA images are free to use, and the few exceptions

Photographs of Earth from orbit, nebulae, the surface of Mars: NASA imagery is some of the most widely shared photography in the world. Much of it can be used freely by anyone, for almost any purpose. The reason lies in United States copyright law.

Works of the US government have no copyright

Under US law, works created by employees of the federal government as part of their official duties are not protected by copyright. They enter the public domain the moment they are made. NASA is a federal agency, so photographs and videos made by NASA staff in their work are generally free to copy, publish and adapt.

The same rule is why so much material from the US National Park Service, the Fish and Wildlife Service and other federal agencies can be reused freely. Several of the sources we draw on for this site exist for exactly this reason.

The exceptions worth knowing

• Partner and contractor material. Many missions are international or involve universities and companies. Images credited jointly, for example to NASA together with the European Space Agency or a university, may carry the partner's own terms. ESA, for instance, publishes much of its imagery under a Creative Commons Attribution licence, which requires credit. Always read the credit line.
• Logos and insignia. The NASA “meatball” and “worm” logos and mission patches are protected and may not be used without permission. A photograph that simply shows a rocket with a logo on its side is a different matter, but you should not use the logo itself as branding.
• No endorsement. You may not use NASA material in a way that suggests NASA endorses you, your product or your website.
• People. Astronauts and other identifiable people have rights over how their likeness is used commercially, separate from copyright.
• Outside the United States. The public domain status is defined by US law. In practice NASA images are used freely worldwide, but the formal position can differ by country.

Why we still credit NASA

Credit is not legally required for most NASA images, but we always give it. Every space wallpaper on this site names the NASA centre or mission and links to the original record in the NASA Image and Video Library. It helps you trace an image back to its source, and it acknowledges the scientists and engineers who made it.

Using a NASA wallpaper yourself

For a desktop or phone background, any NASA public-domain image is fine. If you plan to use one in a commercial project, check three things on the original page: that the credit is NASA alone, that no logo is the focus, and that your use doesn't imply NASA's endorsement. Our Space & Earth collection lists the credit and source for every image.