Home/Formats/.VICAR
raster format

What is a .VICAR file?

VICAR is NASA JPL's image format for planetary and space mission data, used to process pictures from spacecraft and telescopes.

Full name
VICAR Space Image
Developed by
NASA JPL
Released
1966
Extension
.vicar
MIME type
image/vicar
Transparency
Varies

How to open a VICAR file

VICAR opens in NASA tools and ImageMagick; convert to PNG/TIFF to view outside a science pipeline.

What VICAR files are used for

Photos & web images

Share, post and embed pictures across sites and apps.

Editing & design

Work with the format in editors like Photoshop and GIMP.

Storage & archiving

Keep memories and assets in a widely-readable form.

Strengths & limitations

✔ Strengths✖ Limitations
Purpose-built for its nicheNo transparency support
Limited support — may need converting

Need more than a conversion?

Remove the background from VICAR images, upscale to 4K, or generate new visuals with SharkFoto AI.

Frequently asked questions

VICAR is NASA JPL's image format for planetary and space mission data, used to process pictures from spacecraft and telescopes.

VICAR opens in NASA tools and ImageMagick; convert to PNG/TIFF to view outside a science pipeline.

VICAR is optimised for its specific use rather than strictly lossless storage.

Use SharkFoto's free tools — upload your VICAR file and convert it to a more convenient format in seconds. It's free, processed securely and never stored.

No — VICAR doesn't store transparency; convert to PNG or WEBP if you need it.