Earth from Space - Image Description

STS078-749-028 Charlotte, North Carolina June, 1996
One of the fastest growing cities in the southeastern United States and the largest city in North Carolina, the city of Charlotte is visible in this east-looking view. Charlotte is the foremost commercial and industrial center of the Piedmont region, and is the major transportation hub and distribution point for the Carolina manufacturing belt. The Carolina's are now the United States leading textile area. The growth in industry in the Charlotte area has been in part, due to the bountiful hydroelectric power from dams on the Catawba River, located to the west of the city. The runways of Douglas International Airport, west of the city and south of Interstate Highway 85, are visible on the image.

This service is provided by the International Space Station program and the JSC Earth Science & Remote Sensing Unit, ARES Division, Exploration Integration Science Directorate.