Skip Navigation
menu close modal
Resources

International Space Station

This illustration shows the International Space Station in shades of blue. The space station has a thin middle body made up of different small modules. Extending out from the middle body of the station, each side is flanked by a "wing" made up of a series of long, rectangular solar array pieces.
Credit: NASA
Published: December 20, 2022

An illustration of the International Space Station. The colors depicted in this illustration are for artistic purposes only.

ENLARGE

Explore the Universe

Related

An illustration of an orange elliptical galaxy.
More
A diffuse oval is outlined by dark orange but gets progressively lighter in rings towards the center, a bright white spot surrounded by a small ring of white haze. White dots representing stars speckle the image.
Elliptical Galaxy (Orange)
An illustration of a blue star-forming nebula.
More
A large, amorphous blob in a circular shape has layers of transparent, hazy color overlapping. The different layers are a range of transparent blues, some greener shades than others. While white dots representing stars speckle the whole image, in the upper left part of this shape is a bright white circular cloud with more pronounced and larger stars grouped together.
Star-forming Nebula (Version Two, Blue)
An illustration of an orange and yellow elliptical galaxy.
More
A diffuse oval is outlined by a light orange-ish yellow but gets progressively lighter in rings towards the center, a bright white spot surrounded by a small ring of white haze. White dots representing stars speckle the image.
Elliptical Galaxy (Orange/Yellow)
An illustration of a purple star-forming nebula.
More
A large, amorphous blob in a circular shape has layers of transparent, hazy color overlapping. The different layers start with a slight blue and dark purple around the outer rim and move inward to brighter purples. While white dots representing stars speckle the whole image, in the upper left part of this shape is a bright white circular cloud with more pronounced and larger stars grouped together.
Star-forming Nebula (Version Two, Purple)
An illustration of a purple spiral galaxy.
More
A hazy range of purples makes up the base of this swirling spiral of light blue lines twirling inward toward a yellow cloud with a white spot in the center. White dots representing stars speckle the image.
Spiral Galaxy (Purple)
The history of the universe is outlined in this illustration. 
More
This infographic is done in shades of blue and white. At the top left is the title: “History of the Universe.” Below that is a cone with graphics representing different stages of cosmic history within eight evenly spaced ovals. Below the cone is text connected to each oval indicating time since the beginning of the universe, the name of the cosmic era, and a brief description. The first oval on the left is filled with blobs, and the associated text reads: 10 to the negative 32 seconds, Inflation, and Initial expansion. Moving right, the next oval is filled with light (represented as squiggles), protons, and neutrons. The text below reads: one microsecond; first particles; and neutrons, protons, and electrons form. The next oval is filled with light (squiggles) and atomic nuclei. The text below reads: three minutes; first nuclei; and helium and hydrogen form. The next oval is filled with light (squiggles) and atoms. The text below reads: 380,000 years; first light; and the first atoms form. The next oval is filled with transparent areas of blue representing gas with a few dots representing stars. The text below reads: 200 million years; first stars; and gas and dust condense into stars. The next oval is filled with tightly packed galaxies with some transparent areas representing gas. The text below reads: 400 million years; galaxies and dark matter; and galaxies form in dark matter cradles. The next oval is filled with galaxies that have moved apart with stars in between. The text below reads: 10 billion years; dark energy; and expansion accelerates. The last oval is filled with galaxies that have moved far apart with stars in between. The text below reads: 13.8 billion years; today; and humans observe the universe.
History of the Universe
An illustration of a blazar, or an active galactic nucleus that emits a powerful radiation jet. 
More
A graphic shows a diffused, dark purple ring that fades inward to a bright purple, a lighter purple, and eventually to a light blue gradient. At the center of the circular object is a small black circle from which a transparent beam is emitted, starting as a transparent blue and moving into green, yellow, orange and red.
Blazar
An illustration of NASA's SuperTIGER instrument.
More
This illustration shows NASA's SuperTIGER instrument in shades of blue. This balloon-borne instrument has a main, box-shaped body on top of a structure that has panels attached to the bottom and a piece of the structure that extends outward on one side of the box-shaped instrument body.
SuperTIGER (Super Trans-Iron Galactic Element Recorder)
An illustration of the HaloSat spacecraft.
More
This HaloSat illustration shows the space telescope in shades of blue. The body of the spacecraft is a rectangle with three circles along the long, narrow side. One solar panel extends from the spacecraft body.
HaloSat
An illustration showing a purple, front view of a barred spiral galaxy.
More
A background of medium, bright purple shows a bright, white, thin line that creates an oblong, elongated swirl that connects in the middle with a yellowish, diffuse cloud. White dots representing stars speckle the image.
Barred Spiral Galaxy (Front View, Purple)
An illustration of NASA's NICER X-ray observatory.
More
This illustration shows NASA's NICER observatory in shades of blue. A smaller, flat and square lower half connects to a top half that is cube-shaped with a series of small, circular pieces across its face.
NICER (Neutron star Interior Composition Explorer)
An illustration of NASA's TESS spacecraft.
More
This illustration of NASA's TESS shows the spacecraft in shades of blue. The multi-sided, cylindrical shaped main body of the satellite has two solar array "wings," each extending out from the sides of the satellite which is attached to an open, cone shaped bottom piece. Nestled inside the cone are four squares which show the relative positions of TESS’s cameras.
TESS (Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite)
An illustration of a pulsar with asymmetric magnetic field lines.
More
This object resembles an open clamshell with a pearl in the center and with one half significantly larger than the other. The two halves of the shape have different sizes of curved stripes that start as a dark blue on the outside and move inward towards the center, getting brighter and lighter. In the center is a bright white circle with transparent yellow beams emerging from its sides.
Pulsar (Version Two)
An illustration of a purple elliptical galaxy.
More
A diffuse oval is outlined by dark purple but is primarily a medium, bright purple except for the center, a bright white spot surrounded by a small ring of white haze. White dots representing stars speckle the image.
Elliptical Galaxy (Purple)
An illustration of a planetary nebula.
More
In the background is a hazy pink and purple circle, with dark, transparent dark purple around the edge and lighter/brighter pinks leading inward. In front of the big circle is a purple object, shaped like a minimal, twisty lemon. Inside of this shape is a central, light yellow, cloudy circle with a bright white spot in the middle. All within the lemon-shaped object, the white spot is surrounded by a pink oblong oval shape which is overlapped by two large, pink circular shapes and two small, pink circular shapes. White dots representing stars speckle the image.
Planetary Nebula (Version One, Pink)
An illustration of NASA’s Kepler Space Telescope.
More
This illustration shows NASA's Kepler mission in shades of blue. The main body of the spacecraft is cylindrical in shape, with a slanted top and a base that attaches to a structure wrapping around half of the main body of the craft.
Kepler Space Telescope
An illustration of ESA's XMM Newton observatory.
More
This illustration shows ESA's XMM-Newton observatory in shades of blue. Overall, the craft is dragonfly-shaped with a long, cylindrical body and an open "head" from which two solar array "wings" extend.
XMM Newton (X-ray Multi-Mirror Mission Newton)
An illustration showing a face-on view of a black hole.
More
A graphic shows a dark but diffuse purple ring that is centered in the image. The dark purple fades into a bright purple, then a light blue that fades lighter towards the center where there is a bold, black circle.
Black Hole
An illustration of NASA's Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope.
More
This illustration shows NASA's Roman mission in shades of blue. A multi-sided cylindrical body has an opening at its top. Exending from the opening are panels along the top half. A flat panel on the back represents the solar panel. Along the side of the body a few instruments are visible.
Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope
An illustration of the ASCA spacecraft, developed by the Institute of Space and Astronautical Science in Japan.
More
A graphic of ASCA is shown in light and dark shades of blue. The body of the spacecraft is bottle shaped, and an array of solar panels crosses on top of the widest part.
ASCA (Advanced Satellite for Cosmology and Astrophysics)
An illustration showing an irregular galaxy.
More
An amorphous, bean-shaped diffuse purple blob that's darker around the rim with a light, whitish center. White dots representing stars speckle the image.
Irregular Galaxy (Version Three)
An illustration of NASA's Fermi spacecraft.
More
Fermi is illustrated in multiple shades of blue. With two "wings" coming out of its sides, each with three panels of solar arrays, the main body of the spacecraft is box-shaped. It has a main body with one open side with small components visible within and a smaller, darker box on top.
Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope
An illustration showing a blue, front view of a barred spiral galaxy.
More
A background of medium, bright blue shows a bright, white, thin line that creates an oblong, elongated swirl that connects in the middle with a lighter blue, diffuse cloud. White dots representing stars speckle the image.
Barred Spiral Galaxy (Front View, Blue)
An illustration of JAXA's Hitomi spacecraft.
More
This Hitomi illustration shows the space telescope in shades of blue. The main body of the spacecraft is a long octagon with a cylindrical object on the front end. The cylinder has several smaller cylinders extending from it. On the back end of the satellite extends a long pole that ends in an octagonal panel. Solar panels extend to either side of the main body.
Hitomi
An illustration showing the side of a purple spiral galaxy.
More
A horizontal oval is outlined by a diffuse, bright purple surrounding a darker purple outline which fades through lighter and brighter purple colors as it moves inward. The center of the shape is a hazy yellow circle. Cutting across the center of the image is a flattened disc outlined in light blue with a blueish-gray center. White dots representing stars speckle the image.
Spiral Galaxy (Side View, Purple)

Explore the Universe

Related News

While our telescopes can’t directly see dark matter, they can help us figure out more about it thanks to a phenomenon called gravitational lensing.
More
How Gravity Warps Light
How Gravity Warps Light
Today sensors on orbiting satellites like NASA’s Swift and Fermi missions detect a GRB somewhere in the sky about once a day on average.
More
NASA Looks Back at 50 Years of Gamma-Ray Burst Science
NASA Looks Back at 50 Years of Gamma-Ray Burst Science
The lenticular galaxy NGC 5283 is the subject of a NASA Hubble Space Telescope image.
More
Hubble Views a Beautiful Luminous Galaxy
Hubble Views a Beautiful Luminous Galaxy
This NASA Hubble Space Telescope image reveals NGC 547, an elliptical galaxy that sits about 250 million light-years away.
More
Hubble Spots an Energetic Galaxy
Hubble Spots an Energetic Galaxy
This image from NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope shows interacting galaxies known as AM 1214-255.
More
Hubble Captures Extraordinarily Bright Interacting Galaxies
Hubble Captures Extraordinarily Bright Interacting Galaxies
This NASA Hubble Space Telescope image of the spiral galaxy NGC 4395 looks at a small section of the larger galaxy.
More
Hubble Gazes at the Home of an Enormous Black Hole
Hubble Gazes at the Home of an Enormous Black Hole
The galaxy Centaurus A shines bright in this image combining data from multiple observatories.
More
Galaxy With Black Hole Shines In Image From NASA's Chandra and IXPE
Galaxy With Black Hole Shines In Image From NASA's Chandra and IXPE
NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope studied a rocky exoplanet known as GJ 486 b, searching for signs of an atmosphere.
More
Webb Finds Water Vapor, But From a Rocky Planet or Its Star?
Webb Finds Water Vapor, But From a Rocky Planet or Its Star?
NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope captured this image of the lenticular galaxy NGC 3489.
More
Hubble Observes an In-between Galaxy
Hubble Observes an In-between Galaxy
A menagerie of interesting astronomical finds are visible in this image from the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope.
More
Hubble Captures an Elusive Galaxy Cluster
Hubble Captures an Elusive Galaxy Cluster
For the first time, astronomers have measured the three-dimensional shape of one of the biggest and closest elliptical galaxies to us, M87.
More
Giant Galaxy Seen in 3D by NASA's Hubble Space Telescope and Keck Observatory
Giant Galaxy Seen in 3D by NASA's Hubble Space Telescope and Keck Observatory
This image from the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope shows the globular star cluster NGC 2419.
More
Hubble Spies a Multi-Generational Cluster
Hubble Spies a Multi-Generational Cluster
Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope has spotted gamma rays coming from thunderstorms.
More
What's Made in a Thunderstorm and Faster Than Lightning? Gamma Rays!
What's Made in a Thunderstorm and Faster Than Lightning? Gamma Rays!
Using Hubble Space Telescope and other observatories, astronomers have discovered a pair of gravitationally bound quasars.
More
Hubble Unexpectedly Finds Double Quasar in Distant Universe
Hubble Unexpectedly Finds Double Quasar in Distant Universe
Researchers observing with NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope have pinpointed silicate cloud features in a distant planet’s atmosphere.
More
NASA's Webb Spots Swirling, Gritty Clouds on Remote Planet
NASA's Webb Spots Swirling, Gritty Clouds on Remote Planet
UGCA 307 hangs against an irregular backdrop of distant galaxies in this image from the Hubble Space Telescope.
More
Hubble Sees a Diminutive Dwarf Galaxy
Hubble Sees a Diminutive Dwarf Galaxy
The Large Area Telescope aboard NASA’s Fermi satellite can give us a glimpse of an otherwise invisible cosmic light show.
More
NASA's Fermi Captures Dynamic Gamma-Ray Sky in New Animation
NASA's Fermi Captures Dynamic Gamma-Ray Sky in New Animation
The rare sight of a Wolf-Rayet star was one of the first observations made by NASA’s Webb in June 2022.
More
NASA's Webb Telescope Captures Rarely Seen Prelude to Supernova
NASA's Webb Telescope Captures Rarely Seen Prelude to Supernova
The irregular spiral galaxy NGC 5486 hangs against a background of dim, distant galaxies in this Hubble image.
More
Hubble Spots a Star-Forming Spiral
Hubble Spots a Star-Forming Spiral
This image features a galaxy called 3C 297 that is lonelier than expected after it likely pulled in and absorbed its former companion galaxies.
More
Chandra Helps Astronomers Discover a Surprisingly Lonely Galaxy
Chandra Helps Astronomers Discover a Surprisingly Lonely Galaxy
Scientists created a gargantuan synthetic survey showing what we can expect from the Roman Space Telescope’s future observations.
More
Millions of Galaxies Emerge in New Simulated Images From NASA's Roman
Millions of Galaxies Emerge in New Simulated Images From NASA's Roman
A “jellyfish galaxy” with trailing tentacles of stars hangs in inky blackness in this Hubble image.
More
Hubble Peers at a Galactic Seascape
Hubble Peers at a Galactic Seascape
NASA's Hubble captured photos of asteroid Dimorphos when it was deliberately hit by a spacecraft called DART in September 2022.
More
Hubble Captures Movie of DART Asteroid Impact Debris
Hubble Captures Movie of DART Asteroid Impact Debris
A new simulation shows how NASA’s Roman Space Telescope will unveil the evolving universe in ways that have never been possible before.
More
How NASA's Roman Space Telescope Will Rewind the Universe
How NASA's Roman Space Telescope Will Rewind the Universe
A massive galaxy cluster in the constellation Cetus dominates the center of this Hubble image.
More
Hubble Observes Cosmic Contortions
Hubble Observes Cosmic Contortions