Explanation of Subject Categories
We have filed the GRIN photos into 93 different categories.
Many photos appear in more than one category. An explanation
of what is in each category is provided below. These categories
do not contain every image that is someway related to the
subject, just the most important. For example, Space Shuttle
missions that involved practicing for Hubble Space Telescope
servicing missions are in the database, but not included in
the Hubble category. So if you do not find what you want in
the subject categories, you should use the search function.
Keep in mind that GRIN is a selective collection, not a comprehensive
one, so you may be looking for photos that are not in the
database. Please send us suggestions for photos that you think
should be included. See the Frequently
Asked Questions for an explanation of the kinds of images
included in GRIN.
A number of the categories are currently incomplete, but
will contain photos in the future as the GRIN collection is
expanded. We may also add new categories later. Images appear
in each category according to their GRIN number, with the
lowest number appearing first.
Ames Research Aircraft
Aircraft tested at Ames as
well as aircraft that Ames was responsible for which were
flown at other places, such as Edwards Air Force Base.
Lifting Bodies
Various lifting bodies such as the M2-F2,
the HL-10, and the X-24, including models, aircraft, and wind
tunnel tests.
Rotorcraft
Helicopters and autogyros developed, tested
or used by NACA and NASA.
Thrust Vector Research Aircraft
Aircraft used to develop
techniques for changing their direction of engine thrust to
decrease takeoff distance and improve maneuverability.
Top 20 Dryden Aircraft
Most notable aircraft operated
at Dryden since its early years. Includes various X planes,
the lifting bodies, the SR-71 and the Shuttle Carrier Aircraft.
Unique Aircrafts
Civilian and military aircraft used
for research and support roles at NASA centers. These include
NASAÕs 737 and F-16 and F-18.
X-Series Aircraft
Experimental aircraft used to push
the bounds of flight research. Includes the Bell X-1 and the
X-15. Also includes the D-558-II, which was not an X-plane,
but performed many of the same roles.
Aeronautical Research
General aeronautical research
at NASA and NACA facilities.
Air Traffic Control
NASA work with the FAA to develop
better air traffic control procedures for American airports.
Flight Research at Ames Research Center
Research at
Ames involving actually flying aircraft, as opposed to theoretical,
simulation, or wind tunnel research.
Aircraft Propulsion
Jet and propeller engines during
ground and flight testing.
Simulators and Training (Air and Space)
Aircraft simulators
and other pilot and astronaut training activities, including
practice for lunar missions.
Wind Tunnels (Exterior)
Exterior photos of wind tunnels
at NASA facilities.
Wind Tunnels (Interior)
Full-scale and sub-scale models
being tested in NASA facilities. Includes many great shots
of NACA-era research.
Astronauts
Crew photos for all the Apollo missions,
plus photos of various astronauts during Gemini, Skylab and
Space Shuttle missions. Also includes photos of astronauts
during training. Does not include all astronauts and does
not include Mercury astronauts, who are in a separate category.
Mercury Astronauts
Mercury astronauts during training
and flight.
Mercury Program
Key events in the Mercury program,
including launches, astronaut activities, and some spacecraft
shots.
Mercury/Gemini Spacecraft
Photos of both the Mercury
and Gemini spacecraft during construction and operation.
Gemini Program
Key events in the Gemini program, including
launches, astronaut activities, and some spacecraft shots.
Apollo Spacecraft (Command/Service Module)
Photos of
the Apollo spacecraft during construction and operation.
Lunar Module
Photos of the Lunar Module during construction
and operation.
Apollo-Soyuz Test Project
Key events in the Apollo-Soyuz
Test Project, including the Handshake in Space.
Skylab
Key events in the Skylab program, including
shots of the orbital workshop in orbit and astronaut activities.
Space Shuttle
A large category encompassing launch,
landing and other operations of the Space Shuttle.
Shuttle-Mir
Photos showing events during the various
Space Shuttle missions to the Mir space station.
International Space Station
Photos of hardware for
the International Space Station as well as missions to construct
it in orbit.
EVAs/Spacewalks
Photos of Extra-Vehicular Activities
during Gemini, Apollo and Space Shuttle.
EVAs/Moonwalks
Photos of Extra-Vehicular Activities
during the Apollo moon landings.
Saturn V
Photos of the Saturn V during development,
construction and launch.
Saturn I/Saturn IB
Photos of the Saturn I and Saturn
IB during development, construction and launch. Also includes
some wind tunnel photos.
Apollo 1 (Apollo 204)
Crew photo and other images before
the tragic Apollo 1 training accident.
Apollo 7
Crew photo and launch and recovery photos
from the Apollo 7 mission.
Apollo 8
Crew photo, launch and recovery photos and
images of the moon from the Apollo 8 mission.
Apollo 9
Crew photo, launch and recovery photos and
images of the Lunar Module in earth orbit during the Apollo
9 mission. Includes many of the most beautiful shots taken
of the LM.
Apollo 10
Crew photo, launch and recovery photos and
images of operations in lunar orbit during the Apollo 10 mission.
Apollo 11
Crew photo, launch and recovery photos and
images of operations in lunar orbit and on the lunar surface
during the Apollo 11 mission.
Apollo 12
Crew photo, launch and recovery photos and
images of operations in lunar orbit and on the lunar surface
during the Apollo 12 mission, including the rendezvous with
the Surveyor III craft.
Apollo 13
Crew photo, launch and recovery photos and
images of operations during the trouble-plagued Apollo 13
mission.
Apollo 14
Crew photo, launch and recovery photos and
images of operations in lunar orbit and on the lunar surface
during the Apollo 14 mission.
Apollo 15
Crew photo, launch and recovery photos and
images of operations in lunar orbit and on the lunar surface
during the Apollo 15 mission. Also includes pictures of the
lunar rover on the surface.
Apollo 16
Crew photo, launch and recovery photos and
images of operations in lunar orbit and on the lunar surface
during the Apollo 16 mission. Also includes pictures of the
lunar rover on the surface.
Apollo 17
Crew photo, launch and recovery photos and
images of operations in lunar orbit and on the lunar surface
during the Apollo 17 mission. Also includes pictures of the
lunar rover on the surface.
Space Probes
Robotic spacecraft that did not fit into
other categories. Includes Venus probes, early earth satellites,
and solar probes, among others.
Viking/Pathfinder/Sojourner
Photos of the Viking, Pathfinder
and Sojourner spacecraft during development and launch as
well as the images they returned from Mars.
Voyager/Galileo
Photos of the Voyager and Galileo spacecraft
and photos taken by them during their trips to Jupiter and
Saturn. Includes many photos also in the Jupiter and Saturn
categories of the planets and their moons.
Lunar Probes
Photos of various robotic spacecraft sent
to the moon, as well as the images they returned from lunar
orbit and the lunar surface.
Mars Global Surveyor
Images of the Mars Global Surveyor
as well as photos it took of the Martian surface from orbit.
Includes some of the photos which may show evidence of relatively
recent liquid water.
Mars Probes
Spacecraft under development or in preparation
for launch to Mars. Includes the Mars Climate Orbiter and
Mars Polar Lander that failed at Mars, as well as experimental
rovers.
Rocket Launches
Various rocket launches, including
the Space Shuttle and Saturn V, as well as smaller rockets
such as the Atlas and Delta.
Spacecraft Landings
Space Shuttle landings and spacecraft
splashdowns during Mercury, Gemini and Apollo.
Rocket/Spacecraft Propulsion
Rocket and spacecraft
propulsion research at NASA centers, including work on ion
engines.
NASA Management
Photos of NASA Administrators and other
key personnel.
VIPs and People at NASA/NACA
Various important visitors
to NASA and NACA facilities over the years, including Amelia
Earhart, Jimmie Doolittle and Charles Lindbergh.
Presidents
Various presidents visiting NASA and NACA
facilities.
Microgravity Research
Photos of materials and pharmaceutical
research in microgravity environments on the Space Shuttle
and the International Space Station and also ground-based
research into microgravity.
Space Medicine
Photos of research conducted on how
the human body adapts to spaceflight. Includes some photos
of centrifuges.
Earth Science
Photos of research concerning the EarthÕs
surface and atmosphere.
Deep Space Studies
Images of stars, nebulae and other
distant stellar phenomena. Most of the photos were taken by
the Hubble Space Telescope.
Hubble
Photos taken by the Hubble Space Telescope of
various stellar and planetary objects, as well as a few images
of the Hubble Space Telescope during launch and servicing
by the Space Shuttle.
Planetary Astronomy
Photos of various planets such
as Mars and Jupiter taken by telescope.
Sun
Images of the sun taken by NASA spacecraft.
Mercury
Images of Mercury taken by NASA spacecraft.
Venus
Images of Venus taken by NASA spacecraft.
Earth
Images of the Earth taken by NASA spacecraft.
Earth's Moon
Images of the moon taken by NASA spacecraft,
including the Apollo missions and during flybys by spacecraft
headed to other planets.
Mars
Images of Mars taken by NASA spacecraft.
Mars' Moons
Images of MarsÕ moons Phobos and Deimos.
Asteroids/Comets
Images of asteroids and comets taken
by NASA spacecraft. Includes the comet Shoemaker-Levy impact
on Jupiter and the NEAR spacecraftÕs rendezvous with Eros.
Jupiter
Images of Jupiter taken by the Voyager, Galileo
and other spacecraft.
JupiterÕs Moons
Images of JupiterÕs moons taken by
the Voyager, Galileo and other spacecraft.
Jupiter's Rings
Images of JupiterÕs rings taken by
the Voyager, Galileo and other spacecraft.
Saturn
Images of Saturn taken by the Voyager, Cassini
and other spacecraft.
SaturnÕs Moons
Images of SaturnÕs moons taken by the
Voyager, Cassini and other spacecraft.
Saturn's Rings
Images of SaturnÕs rings taken by the
Voyager, Cassini and other spacecraft.
Uranus
Images of Uranus taken by the Voyager 2 spacecraft.
Uranus' Moons
Images of UranusÕ moons taken by the
Voyager 2 spacecraft.
Uranus' Rings
Images of UranusÕ rings taken by the
Voyager 2 spacecraft.
Neptune
Images of Neptune taken by the Voyager 2 spacecraft.
Neptune's Moons
Images of NeptuneÕs moons taken by
the Voyager 2 spacecraft.
Neptune's Rings
Images of NeptuneÕs rings taken by
the Voyager 2 spacecraft.
Pluto
Images of Pluto.
Computers
Various NASA computers, including supercomputers
used for aerodynamic modeling.
Robotics/Telepresence/Virtual Reality
NASA robots and
research concerning virtual reality and telepresence, or the
control of machines through advanced visual and sensory techniques.
Early Ames (NACA) Research
Wind tunnel and flight research
conducted at Ames from the 1920s to the 1950s.
Early Langley (NACA) Research
Wind tunnel and flight
research conducted at Langley from the 1920s to the 1950s.
Early Lewis/Glenn (NACA) Research
Wind tunnel and flight
research conducted at Lewis from the 1930s to the 1950s.
Stennis Historical
Images of the early years of Stennis,
including photos of the area before NASA arrived.
KSC Historical
Images of activities in the Cape Canaveral
area before Kennedy Space Center was established, as well
as images of the Vehicle Assembly Building and launch pads
under construction during the 1960s.
Wallops Island
Photos of operations on Wallops Island,
Virginia, including sounding rocket launches and preparations
for launching the Little Joe rocket during the Mercury program.
Aerial Photographs
Aerial photos of various NASA facilities,
including shots of launch pads and wind tunnels.
Miscellaneous
Photos that did not really fit any of
the other categories very well.
Miscellaneous 2
Unassigned. Will become a different
category in the future.
Miscellaneous 3
Unassigned. Will become a different category in the future.
Soviet People-Cosmonauts
Soviet/Russian cosmonauts during training and flight.
Soviet People-Pioneers
Key members of the Soviet/Russian aerospace program. This includes engineers,
scientists, managers and military personnel.
Soviet Spacecraft
Photos of Soviet/Russian spacecraft during construction and operation.
Soviet Launch Vehicles
Various rockets and launch vehicles designed and used by the Soviet/Russian
space program.
Soviet Aeronautics
General images relating to Soviet/Russian
flight research and flying aircraft.
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