Space.

I have been noticing an upswing in describing something large as being able to be seen from space. I've been hearing it often in reference to the oil spill. Just now on npr I heard that description used to describe this giant beaver dam.
I find this description not helpful at all.
Where is space? One mile up? 100? The moon? Pluto?
I know my house can be seen from space. I've checked myself on Google earth. But my house isn't very big. We have good optics that can see things from far away, so seeing something from space isn't very impressive, or helpful in understanding the size of the object.
Perhaps if these descriptions were more specific, ex: '___can be seen with the naked from the space station', it would be useful to me.


P.S. (written 5/12)
I don't want it seem as if I was really worked up about this issue. I am not at all. I just happened to be listening to npr with my laptop in front of me and so noted my observation. I am also not worked up about the possibility of having seemed worked up, I was just looking back at this and wanted to include post script. I am also not worked up about having seemed to be worked up about having seemed to be worked up.