Atlantis docks with Int´l space station

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Source: CCTV.com | 02-10-2008 09:43

Space shuttle Atlantis has docked with the international space station, delivering Europe's two billion dollar research lab after a year-long delay.

The space shuttle Atlantis, with the European Space  Agency's Columbus module visible in the cargo bay,  approaches the International Space Station for docking in this image from NASA TV Feb. 9, 2008. (Xinhua/AFP Photo)

The Columbus lab is the European Space Agency's main contribution to the space station. Atlantis slowly pulled up to the space station and latched on after performing a backflip to provide a view of the ship's thermal shield.

The flip, a routine maneuver since the Columbia disaster in 2003, allowed station crew members to zoom in for pictures of its upper surfaces and belly.

Engineers on the ground will scrutinize the images for signs of damage.