The INSIDER Summary:
- Astronauts can spot airports from space.
- Some are surrounded by cities or residential areas, while others are in the middle of forests or deserts.
Astronauts are often trained pilots in addition to their science, math, physics, and engineering backgrounds, so they have a special affinity for spotting airports from space as they orbit the Earth.
They're easy to find if you know what to look for. In both urban settings and more remote areas, massive industrial buildings and long patches of runways take distinctive shapes.
European Space Agency astronaut Thomas Pesquet enjoys sharing photos on Twitter while reminiscing about his time as a pilot with the hashtag #airportsfromspace.
Airports: I flew to many during my pilot days. Here's @Madrid Barajas [MAD]: I can even see planes taxiing to the runway! #airportsfromspacepic.twitter.com/0RO3p249sN
— Thomas Pesquet (@Thom_astro) January 15, 2017Here are 15 photos from NASA's collection of airports around the world — taken from above it.
Munich International Airport is surrounded by fields and small towns.
Kansai International Airport is built on a landfill island in Osaka Bay, Japan.
Kuwait International Airport is particularly bright against the lights of Kuwait City.
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