How many things (constructed by humans) on earth are visible from Space?
There is a longstanding myth that the Great Wall of China is the only manmade object that is visible by an observer in space. However, this is a myth! The truth is that many human constructs can be seen from Space. If we take “space” to mean a low Earth orbit such as the one traveled by the Space Shuttle (roughly 160 to 350 miles above Earth), then an observer from the space shuttle with the aid of binoculars can easily see objects such as: airports, highways, bridges, components of the Kennedy Space Center and, even large ocean tankers. In addition, the largest cities are clearly visible to the human eye. Go to NASA’s Earth From Space photographic archive located at http://earth.jsc.nasa.gov/sseop/efs/ and see for yourself pictures that have been taken from low orbit reveal human-built structures such as highways, airports, bridges, dams, and components of the Kennedy Space Center. At 250 miles (400 KM) high, the altitu
