copyright
How Can NASA Images/Videos Not Be Copyrighted?
<blockquote>
  <p>NASA content - images, audio, video, and computer files used in the rendition of 3-dimensional models, such as texture maps and polygon data in any format - generally are not copyrighted.</p>
</blockquote>

<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/guidelines/index.html" rel="noreferrer">https://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/guidelines/index.html</a></li>
</ul>

<p>Aren't works automatically protected by copyright upon creation?</p>

<p>There is a special exception in <a href="https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/17/105" rel="noreferrer">17 USC 105</a>:</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>Copyright protection under this title is not available for any work of
  the United States Government, but the United States Government is not
  precluded from receiving and holding copyrights transferred to it by
  assignment, bequest, or otherwise.</p>
</blockquote>

<p>In the <a href="https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/17/101" rel="noreferrer">definitions</a>,</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>A “work of the United States Government” is a work prepared by an
  officer or employee of the United States Government as part of that
  person’s official duties.</p>
</blockquote>
