Discovery Docks at Space Station

Shuttle crew readies outpost for European, Japanese arrivals

By Zach Samalin, Newser Staff

Posted Oct 25, 2007 1:29 PM CDT

(Newser) – The shuttle Discovery docked with the International Space Station this morning, after a two-day journey from Florida's Kennedy Space Center. Station commander Peggy Whitson rang a ship's bell to welcome the shuttle crew, which will over the next 10 days prepare the station for European and Japanese researchers, Reuters reports.

"Everybody here is just ecstatic," said Discovery's lead spacewalker. In addition to relocating an 18-ton solar power unit and hooking up the Harmony addition to the space station, the crew will try out a new technique for repairing the shuttle's heat shield. Video footage showed falling debris during Discovery's launch, though the shield is thought to be intact.

[Images (4)]

[Videos (2)]

In this image taken from NASA TV, space station Commander Peggy Whitson, left, welcomes space shuttle Discovery commander Pamela Melroy aboard the International Space Station on Thursday, Oct. 25 2007.... (Associated Press)

In this image from NASA television, astronauts Stephanie Wilson, left, and Clay Anderson work in the international space station on positioning the robotic boom Thursday, Oct. 25, 2007. The Discovery... (Associated Press)

In this image from NASA television the space shuttle Discovery flies around the international space station getting into position for docking Thursday, Oct. 25, 2007. The Discovery crew are on a two-week... (Associated Press)

The Space Shuttle Discovery, STS-120, which was launched earlier Tuesday, Oct. 23, 2007, is seen on orbit over Bullard, Texas, after twilight in this 75 sec. long exposure. The blinking lights of an... (Associated Press)

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Space Shuttle 2007 spectacular fall to Earth (verfkwast (YouTube))

23 OCT 2007 Space Shuttle Discovery LAUNCH STS-120 (verfkwast (YouTube))

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Discovery Docks at Space Station