Atlantis Docked to Station:
At 11:51 a.m. EST, Commander Charlie Hobaugh backed space shuttle Atlantis into pressurized mating adapter #2 on the International Space Station’s Harmony node. The two spacecraft were flying 220 miles above Earth between Australia and Tasmania at the time they docked.
The shuttle and station crews will open hatches and hold the traditional welcome ceremony at 1:48 p.m. When hatches open, astronaut Nicole Stott’s tenure as a station Expedition 21 flight engineer will come to an end as she joins the Atlantis crew.
Space shuttle Atlantis performs a "backflip" during the Rendezvous Pitch Maneuver. Photo credit: NASA TV.
The space shuttle Atlantis is seen via a camera mounted to the exterior of the International Space Station as it arrives on Nov. 18, 2009 during NASA's STS-129 mission to deliver much-needed spare parts. Credit: NASA TV.
The current configuration of the International Space Station as of Sept. 2009 at the end of NASA's STS-128 mission to deliver supplies and new gear. Credit: NASA.
