The NASA Image eXchange (NIX) is a web-based search engine for searching one or more of NASA's online multimedia collections. Searching is performed using keywords. NIX returns thumbnail sized images, textual descriptions, image numbers, links to higher resolution images, and links to the organization that stores each image.

This service is an initiative sponsored by the NASA STI Program toward linking many existing photo databases in NASA. Currently, not all NASA photos are online, and not all NASA photo databases are linked to NIX. Minimum technical standards for a photo database must exist at a center for it to be linked to NIX. An Agency Subgroup is working to increase the scope and number of photos in NIX.

• For simple searches:
  1. Go to the NIX home page
  2. Enter one or more words into the first text box which is labelled: "With at least one of these words"
  3. Hit the Search button
  4. Matches will be returned that contain any of the entered words

• For more complex searches:
  1. Go to the NIX home page
  2. Enter one or more words into one or more text boxes
  3. Hit the Search button
  4. Matches will be returned that contain:
     • At least one of the words in the text box which is labelled: "With at least one of these words",
     • All of the words in the text box which is labelled: "With all of these words",
     • All of the words (including their order and neighbors) in the text box which is labelled: "With the phrase",
     • Excluding any matches found with words in the text box which is labelled: "With none of these words",

     Or in boolean terms:

     • "With at least one of these words" implies an OR operation
     • "With none of these words" implies a NOT operation
     • "With all of these words" implies an AND operation
     • "With the phrase" implies an AND operation with a proximity limitation
     • All of these operations are combined with an AND operation to give the final result

• For advanced searches:
  1. Go to the Advanced NIX page
  2. Follow directions above
  3. Specify specific databases to search
  4. Hit the Search button

• Browse through pre-built lists of various subject categories on the NIX home page

• Request help by selecting the link: Comment or Question.

• Go directly to a specific organization's site in order to take advantage of more advanced search capabilities and to view site specific browse categories. Either click the link following a Credit label or click the organization's name in the Advanced NIX page.

For issues regarding copyright information and use of NASA images and logos, go to NIX copyright information.

NASA's archives, which start with historical images of aircraft and run through the most recent images obtained from NASA spacecraft, contain millions of images. This large number of images, combined with the constant, worldwide interest in the collection, makes it financially prohibitive for the agency to provide members of the public with free copies of images on demand.

The recommendation for printing photos is to download the highest resolution image available to your local computer and then use either a web-based photo printing service or a local store that can print digital photos.

See NASA Website Privacy Statement.