NASA's real-life "Gravity" pics

In honor of the award winning blockbuster "Gravity," which took home multiple Oscars at the 86th annual Academy Awards this week, NASA compiled this real-life collection of incredible images of space missions.

In this photo, Mission Specialist Bruce McCandless II, is seen further away from the confines and safety of his ship than any previous astronaut has ever been.

This space first was made possible by the Manned Manuevering Unit or MMU, a nitrogen jet propelled backpack. After a series of test maneuvers inside and above Challenger's payload bay, McCandless went "free-flying" to a distance of 320 feet away from the Orbiter.

Repairing the station in orbit

Expedition 35 Flight Engineers Chris Cassidy (pictured) and Tom Marshburn (out of frame) completed a spacewalk to inspect and replace a pump controller box on the International Space Station’s far port truss (P6) leaking ammonia coolant, May 11, 2013.

Sun Over the Earth

The bright sun greets the International Space Station in this Nov. 22, 2009 scene from the Russian section of the orbital outpost, photographed by one of the STS-129 crew members.

John Grunsfeld

A close-up of Astronaut John Grunsfeld shows the reflection of Astronaut Andrew Feustel, perched on the robotic arm and taking the photo, May 2009.

Australia at Night

This unique photographic angle, featuring the International Space Station's Cupola and crew activity inside it, other hardware belonging to the station, city lights on Earth and airglow was captured by one of the Expedition 28 crew members.

The major urban area on the coast is Brisbane, Australia. The station was passing over an area southwest of Canberra, Sept. 15, 2011.

Chris Cassidy

Inside the Cupola, NASA astronaut Chris Cassidy, an Expedition 36 flight engineer, uses a 400 mm lens on a digital still camera to photograph a target of opportunity on Earth some 250 miles below him and the International Space Station, June 3, 2013.

Sunset Over Earth

The thin line of Earth's atmosphere and the setting sun are featured in this image photographed by a crew member on the International Space Station while space shuttle Atlantis (STS-129) remains docked with the station, Nov. 23, 2009.

Earth's horizon

Earth's horizon against the blackness of space is featured in this image photographed by an Expedition 7 crewmember onboard the International Space Station (ISS), Oct. 4, 2003.

Earth and moon

Earth and its moon are nicely framed in this image taken from the aft windows of the Space Shuttle Discovery in 1998.

Southern lights from space

A panoramic view, photographed from the International Space Station, looking past the docked space shuttle Atlantis' cargo bay and part of the station including a solar array panel toward Earth, July 14, 2011.

Reconfiguring the station

Astronaut Sunita L. Williams, Expedition 14 flight engineer, used a pistol grip tool as she worked on the International Space Station in the first of three spacewalks slated to occur over a nine-day period, Jan. 31, 2007.

Barcelona, Spain

The city lights of Spain and Portugal define the Iberian Peninsula in this photograph from the International Space Station (ISS), Dec. 4, 2011.

Atlantis

Beautiful Earth and NASA's Space Shuttle Atlantis (STS-71), July 2, 1995, as seen from the Russian Federation Mir Space Station.

Space Station

Back-dropped by Earth's horizon and the blackness of space, the International Space Station is featured in this image photographed by an STS-134 crew member on the space shuttle Endeavour after the station and shuttle began their post-undocking relative separation, May 29, 2011.

Soyuz Spacecraft

View of Soyuz Spacecraft docked to the International Space Station (ISS). Earth limb is visible in the background, July 25, 2009.

Paul Richards

Close views of Paul Richards during an Extravehicular Activity (EVA) on the International Space Station (ISS), Oct. 15, 2009.

John Grunsfeld

Mission Specialist John Grunsfeld is positioned on a foot restraint on the end of Atlantis' remote manipulator system and Andrew Feustel (top center), mission specialist, participate in the mission's fifth and final spacewalk, May 20, 2009.

First U.S. Spacewalk - Gemini 4

The First U.S. Spacewalk - Gemini 4 Ed White made the United States' first spacewalk on June 3, 1965 during the Gemini 4 mission. The extra-vehicular activity (EVA) started at 19:45 UT (3:45 p.m. EDT) on the third orbit when White opened his hatch and used the hand-held manuevering oxygen-jet gun to push himself out of the capsule.

Thunderstorms over Brazil

A picturesque line of thunderstorms and numerous circular cloud patterns filled the view as the International Space Station (ISS) Expedition 20 crew members looked out at the limb of the Earth.

The crew was looking west-southwest from the Amazon Basin, along the Rio Madeira toward Bolivia when the image was taken, Oct. 6, 2009.

COSTAR

STS-125 Mission Specialist Andrew Feustel positioned on a foot restraint on the end of Atlantis' remote manipulator system moves the Corrective Optics Space Telescope Axial Replacement (COSTAR) during the mission's third session of extravehicular activity (EVA) as work continues to refurbish and upgrade the Hubble Space Telescope, May 16, 2009.

Mike Fossum

With his feet secured on a restraint on the space station remote manipulator system's robotic arm or Canadarm2, NASA astronaut Mike Fossum (frame center) holds the Robotics Refueling Mission payload, which was the focus of one of the primary chores accomplished on a six and a half hour spacewalk, July 12, 2011.