Vermot de Pas: NASA PHOTOGRAPHS - HISTORY OF THE CONQUEST OF SPACE, 160182, Paris

Extraordinary photographic construction showing astronaut Leroy CHIO working inside the open payload bay of space shuttle ENDEAVOUR (Mission STS-72) as it flies over Australia's famous Shark Bay.

Nice back-view of space shuttle ENDEAVOUR in the assembly hall. ENDEAVOUR (Mission STS-89) is positioned in front of its lifting crane to be lifted into the vertical position where it will be attached to its belly tank system.

Superb and rare view of the landing of the space shuttle ATLANTIS (Mission STS-86). Note the swirling air movements on either side of the orbiter's wingtips.

On its launch pad, the Space Shuttle Columbia (Mission STS-94) displays its imposing silhouette and the gigantism of its super structure, comprising the orbiter and its imposing tanks. The horizon of Cape Canavera and the Atlantic Ocean can be seen in the

Beautiful landing seen from the side of the space shuttle COLUMBIA (Mission STS-83) on runway 33 of the KENNEDY SPACE CENTER on April 8, 1997.

A beautiful perspective of the space shuttle's open payload bay floating alongside a luminous globe, giving a glimpse of continent and sea.

From the space shuttle Columbia (Mission STS94), observation of a superb field of "Karman vortices". This is a weather pheonma characterized by an impressive alley of cloudy vortices.

From space, and from the space shuttle COLUMBIA (Mission STS-83), a magnificent view of the Nile and its mythical valley. You can see the famous city of Luxor and part of the 4132-mile-long Nile River.

Perfect Landing of the Space Shuttle Columbia on the Kennedy Space Center Runway on April 8, 1997.

Liftoff of Space Shuttle Columbia (Mission STS-83).

Oblique view of space shuttle Endeavour (Mission STS-89) on December 19, 1997.

Superb and rare aerial perspective of space shuttle ENDEAVOUR (Mission STS-89) en route to launch pad 39A.

BIG FORMAT. The NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope has provided images of Saturn in many colors, from black and white to orange, blue, green and red.

A superb photograph of the planet Saturn in exquisitely detailed false colors. This photograph is a combination of three images taken in January 1998 by the Hubble Space Telescope and shows the ringed planet in reflected infrared light.

Beautiful view of the Space Shuttle Columbia (STS-90) liftoff from launch pad 39B on April 17, 1998.

Space shuttle Endeavour (Mission STS-88) prepares to land on runway 15 at Kennedy Space Center. x

Beautiful panorama of the nighttime liftoff of space shuttle COLUMBIA on July 23, 1999. The space shuttle is preparing to launch the CHANDRA X-RAY observation satellite.

HUBBLE TELESCOPE. Observation of an impressive planetary nebula that began to form 10,000 years ago, when the dying star at its center began to project bubbles of gas and matter.

Perfect front silhouette at the landing of the space shuttle ATLANTIS (Mission STS-106). September 20, 2000.period chromogenic print on "KODAK" paper.

Spectacular nighttime liftoff of Space Shuttle ENDEAVOUR (Mission STS-97) on November 30, 2000. For its 25th night launch, the American space shuttle offers photographers a magnificent deluge of white fire for a perfect lift-off that tears the darkness of

Perfect front silhouette during the landing of space shuttle ATLANTIS (Mission STS-106).

Rocket takeoff.

Space shuttle ENDEAVOUR appears framed between palm trees across the Kennedy Space Center basins. Space Shuttle ENDEAVOUR (Mission STS-97) on its way to launch pad 39B from the Assembly Building.

A spectacular plume of smoke rises into the Florida sky, carrying the space shuttle ATLANTIS (Mission STS-) at its peak. In the background, on the horizon, the Atlantic Ocean facing Cape Canaveral's Mosquito and Banana Creek lagoons.

Impressive, perfect silhouette of the space shuttle ATLANTIS (Mission STS-101) as it lands at night on May 29, 2000 on runway 15 at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The shuttle has just completed a 9-day mission in space.