nasa digital galleries Virgin Media

In recent months Nasa announced its intentions to return to the moon. The agency's goals for the future include setting up a permanent base there in preparation for manned missions to Mars. This gallery features some of the most striking Nasa photographs from the last 50 years.
All pictures appear courtesy of Nasa

Space Shuttle Atlantis blasts off the launch pad at Kennedy Space Centre en route to the International Space Station (ISS) (Sept 2006).