# Free Mars photos from rovers and orbiters

> Free photos of Mars from NASA's rovers and orbiters: Perseverance and Curiosity panoramas, craters, dunes and the planet from orbit, with NASA's credits.

28 images from 2 sources (NASA Image and Video Library 14, Wikimedia Commons 14), updated 2026-11-03. Picked from a live search and refreshed daily.

- Same search in the browser: https://image.shep.bot/search?q=mars+surface&category=space.planets
- Same search over the API: `curl "https://image.shep.bot/v1/search?q=mars+surface&category=space.planets"`
- Details, files and the credit line: `GET https://image.shep.bot/v1/images/{id}` with an id from the table below.
- Licence verdicts: "Commercial use OK" (with or without credit) is cleared for commercial use; anything else must be checked or is non-commercial. "(editorial)" means people, insignia or brands appear without releases: not for ads. See https://image.shep.bot/docs/licences.md
- Images are never re-hosted: thumbnails, previews and downloads come straight from the source sites.

## Another planet's landscapes

NASA's rovers (Sojourner, Spirit, Opportunity, Curiosity and Perseverance) and orbiters such as the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter have sent back hundreds of thousands of pictures: dunes, layered rock, craters, dust devils and the rovers' own tracks.

These pages collect Mars photos from the NASA Image and Video Library and Wikimedia Commons, including panoramas stitched from many frames.

## Using them

Credit the image as given, usually *NASA/JPL-Caltech* plus the camera team. Panoramas can be very wide: crop a section for a hero image or a slide. Some images are artist's concepts of the rovers at work rather than photos; they are labelled as illustrations.

## Images

| ImageAsset | id | What | Source | Licence | Commercial use | Direct download |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| [Mars Surface Beneath Phoenix](https://images.nasa.gov/details/PIA10739) | `nasa:PIA10739` | Sun, moon & planets, Photo, 512 × 256, 2008 | NASA Image and Video Library | NASA media (public domain in the US) | Commercial use OK with credit (editorial) | yes |
| [Surface feature of Mars](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Surface_feature_of_Mars.jpg) | `wikimediacommons:Surface_feature_of_Mars.jpg` | Sun, moon & planets, 1024 × 564, 2025 | Wikimedia Commons | Public domain | Commercial use OK | yes |
| [Opportunity Slices into the Surface of Mars](https://images.nasa.gov/details/PIA05445) | `nasa:PIA05445` | Sun, moon & planets, Photo, 963 × 963, square, 2004 | NASA Image and Video Library | NASA media (public domain in the US) | Commercial use OK with credit (editorial) | yes |
| [Mars, July 20, 1976, image of surface from lander camera](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Mars,_July_20,_1976,_image_of_surface_from_lander_camera.png) | `wikimediacommons:Mars,_July_20,_1976,_image_of_surface_from_lander_camera.png` | Sun, moon & planets, 6000 × 1456, 1976 | Wikimedia Commons | Public domain | Commercial use OK | yes |
| [Mars Surface Layers in Infrared](https://images.nasa.gov/details/PIA03817) | `nasa:PIA03817` | Sun, moon & planets, Photo, 1225 × 3061, vertical, 2002 | NASA Image and Video Library | NASA media (public domain in the US) | Commercial use OK with credit (editorial) | yes |
| [Mars 3 surface transmission](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Mars_3_surface_transmission.jpg) | `wikimediacommons:Mars_3_surface_transmission.jpg` | Sun, moon & planets, 600 × 800, vertical, 1971 | Wikimedia Commons | Public domain | Commercial use OK | yes |
| [Surface Stereo Imager on Mars, Face-On](https://images.nasa.gov/details/PIA11223) | `nasa:PIA11223` | Sun, moon & planets, Photo, 512 × 256, 2008 | NASA Image and Video Library | NASA media (public domain in the US) | Commercial use OK with credit (editorial) | yes |
| [Surfaces of Mars and Venus (4089158361)](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Surfaces_of_Mars_and_Venus_(4089158361).jpg) | `wikimediacommons:Surfaces_of_Mars_and_Venus_(4089158361).jpg` | Sun, moon & planets, 2185 × 2740, vertical, 2009 | Wikimedia Commons | CC BY 2.0 | Commercial use OK with credit | yes |
| [Human to Mars Long-Stay Surface Mission Concept](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Human_to_Mars_Long-Stay_Surface_Mission_Concept.jpg) | `wikimediacommons:Human_to_Mars_Long-Stay_Surface_Mission_Concept.jpg` | Sun, moon & planets, 2200 × 1700, 2016 | Wikimedia Commons | Public domain | Commercial use OK | yes |
| [Surface Stereo Imager on Mars, Side View](https://images.nasa.gov/details/PIA11222) | `nasa:PIA11222` | Sun, moon & planets, Photo, 512 × 256, 2008 | NASA Image and Video Library | NASA media (public domain in the US) | Commercial use OK with credit (editorial) | yes |
| [On the morning of July 20, 1976, roughly 40 minutes after mission controllers received word that the Viking 1 lander had successfully touched down on the surface of Mars, this photo gave us our (our-first-view-of-the-surface-of-mars)](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:On_the_morning_of_July_20,_1976,_roughly_40_minutes_after_mission_controllers_received_word_that_the_Viking_1_lander_had_successfully_touched_down_on_the_surface_of_Mars,_this_photo_gave_us_our_(our-first-view-of-the-surface-of-mars).jpg) | `wikimediacommons:On_the_morning_of_July_20,_1976,_roughly_40_minutes_after_mission_controllers_received_word_that_the_Viking_1_lander_had_successfully_touched_down_on_the_surface_of_Mars,_this_photo_gave_us_our_(our-first-view-of-the-surface-of-mars).jpg` | Sun, moon & planets, Photo, 1439 × 512, 2026 | Wikimedia Commons | Public domain | Commercial use OK | yes |
| [InSight on the Surface of Mars](https://images.nasa.gov/details/PIA22228) | `nasa:PIA22228` | Sun, moon & planets, 7680 × 4320, 2018 | NASA Image and Video Library | NASA media (public domain in the US) | Commercial use OK with credit (editorial) | yes |
| [Panorama mars surface spirit](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Panorama_mars_surface_spirit.jpg) | `wikimediacommons:Panorama_mars_surface_spirit.jpg` | Sun, moon & planets, Photo, 1024 × 301, 2005 | Wikimedia Commons | Public domain | Commercial use OK | yes |
| [Mars Surface near Viking Lander 1 Footpad](https://images.nasa.gov/details/PIA10738) | `nasa:PIA10738` | Sun, moon & planets, Photo, 1744 × 512, 2008 | NASA Image and Video Library | NASA media (public domain in the US) | Commercial use OK with credit (editorial) | yes |
| [Surface of Terraformed Mars no annotations](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Surface_of_Terraformed_Mars_no_annotations.jpg) | `wikimediacommons:Surface_of_Terraformed_Mars_no_annotations.jpg` | Sun, moon & planets, 8400 × 4440, 2025 | Wikimedia Commons | CC BY-SA 4.0 | Restricted: read the conditions | yes |
| [Mars - Surface Temperature South Polar Region](https://images.nasa.gov/details/PIA01018) | `nasa:PIA01018` | Sun, moon & planets, Photo, 1872 × 1224, 1997 | NASA Image and Video Library | NASA media (public domain in the US) | Commercial use OK with credit (editorial) | yes |
| [Mars-surface-power-system](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Mars-surface-power-system.jpg) | `wikimediacommons:Mars-surface-power-system.jpg` | Sun, moon & planets, 712 × 590, 2009 | Wikimedia Commons | Public domain | Commercial use OK | yes |
| [Mars Surfaces at 15.6°N Latitude, March 1999](https://images.nasa.gov/details/PIA01672) | `nasa:PIA01672` | Sun, moon & planets, Photo, 788 × 1048, vertical, 2000 | NASA Image and Video Library | NASA media (public domain in the US) | Commercial use OK with credit (editorial) | yes |
| [Mars Pathfinder Lander Surface pressure ru](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Mars_Pathfinder_Lander_Surface_pressure_ru.gif) | `wikimediacommons:Mars_Pathfinder_Lander_Surface_pressure_ru.gif` | Sun, moon & planets, 1173 × 948, 2011 | Wikimedia Commons | Public domain | Commercial use OK | yes |
| [Viking Lander 1 U.S. Flag on Mars Surface](https://images.nasa.gov/details/PIA00565) | `nasa:PIA00565` | Sun, moon & planets, Photo, 207 × 512, vertical, 1997 | NASA Image and Video Library | NASA media (public domain in the US) | Commercial use OK with credit (editorial) | yes |
| [This illustration of Moon to Mars infrastructure shows astronauts living and working on the surface of Mars (Moon to Mars Infrastructure)](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:This_illustration_of_Moon_to_Mars_infrastructure_shows_astronauts_living_and_working_on_the_surface_of_Mars_(Moon_to_Mars_Infrastructure).png) | `wikimediacommons:This_illustration_of_Moon_to_Mars_infrastructure_shows_astronauts_living_and_working_on_the_surface_of_Mars_(Moon_to_Mars_Infrastructure).png` | Sun, moon & planets, Illustration, 7776 × 11580, vertical, 2025 | Wikimedia Commons | Public domain | Commercial use OK | yes |
| [Mars Polar Lander Site Surface Details](https://images.nasa.gov/details/PIA02312) | `nasa:PIA02312` | Sun, moon & planets, Photo, 672 × 475, 2000 | NASA Image and Video Library | NASA media (public domain in the US) | Commercial use OK with credit (editorial) | yes |
| [The cratered surface of the planet Mars (artist's impression) (iau1402a)](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:The_cratered_surface_of_the_planet_Mars_(artist%27s_impression)_(iau1402a).tif) | `wikimediacommons:The_cratered_surface_of_the_planet_Mars_(artist's_impression)_(iau1402a).tif` | Sun, moon & planets, 3000 × 3000, square, 2014 | Wikimedia Commons | CC BY 4.0 | Commercial use OK with credit | yes |
| [Boulder Big Joe And Surface Changes On Mars](https://images.nasa.gov/details/PIA00397) | `nasa:PIA00397` | Sun, moon & planets, Photo, 728 × 512, 1996 | NASA Image and Video Library | NASA media (public domain in the US) | Commercial use OK with credit (editorial) | yes |
| [Viking Lander 2 First Picture On The Surface Of Mars](https://images.nasa.gov/details/PIA00396) | `nasa:PIA00396` | Sun, moon & planets, Photo, 1614 × 512, 1996 | NASA Image and Video Library | NASA media (public domain in the US) | Commercial use OK with credit (editorial) | yes |
| [Screenshot from IMAX® 3D movie Hidden Universe showing the surface of Mars (eso1329c)](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Screenshot_from_IMAX%C2%AE_3D_movie_Hidden_Universe_showing_the_surface_of_Mars_(eso1329c).tiff) | `wikimediacommons:Screenshot_from_IMAX®_3D_movie_Hidden_Universe_showing_the_surface_of_Mars_(eso1329c).tiff` | Sun, moon & planets, 5616 × 4096, 2013 | Wikimedia Commons | CC BY 4.0 | Commercial use OK with credit | yes |
| [MOLA Global Map of Surface Gradients on Mars](https://images.nasa.gov/details/PIA02809) | `nasa:PIA02809` | Sun, moon & planets, Photo, 669 × 441, 2000 | NASA Image and Video Library | NASA media (public domain in the US) | Commercial use OK with credit (editorial) | yes |
| [Project Deimos - Mars Surface Base](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Project_Deimos_-_Mars_Surface_Base.jpg) | `wikimediacommons:Project_Deimos_-_Mars_Surface_Base.jpg` | Sun, moon & planets, Illustration, 344 × 231, 1969 | Wikimedia Commons | Public domain | Commercial use OK | yes |

## Questions

**Can I use Mars rover photos commercially?**

NASA images are generally free to use with credit, for example 'NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS', as long as you don't imply NASA endorsement.

**Are Mars photos in true colour?**

Some are approximate true colour; many are white-balanced to look like Earth daylight so geologists can compare rocks. The caption on the source page says which.

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Source: https://image.shep.bot/collections/mars-photos