This shot of the Badaling section of the Great Wall was taken by space station astronaut Leroy Chiao on the morning of February 20 when he flew over Beijing at an altitude of 360 kilometres. The photograph, the first ever released by Chiao, was studied by Professor Wei Chengjie, an expert in remote sensing, who added the markings and toned down the blue colour so that it closer resembles the view one would have from an aeroplane. [Leroy Chiao]

Fei and his companion Nie Haisheng, who were aboard Shenzhou VI during China's second manned space mission last October, attended the opening ceremony of a space exhibition at the Shanghai Science and Technology Museum yesterday.

The didn't talk to the press, but did meet with primary and middle school students to answer some of their questions.

"We couldn't see the Great Wall from space," Fei said, noting that from space there is little difference between the Great Wall and its surroundings.

The Great Wall has long been noted as the only man-made object to be visible from space, despite several American astronauts denying the claim.

More than 100 artifacts related to Shenzhou VI went on exhibition at the museum yesterday. The show will run through April 16.