Space shuttle Atlantis docks with ISS for possible last visit

The space shuttle Atlantis arrived at the International Space Station on Sunday for what could be its last visit, delivering fresh batteries and other equipment to help keep the outpost running long after the shuttle programme ends. For now, Atlantis is not scheduled to launch again after this flight, and NASA has just two shuttle missions remaining. But there's a push to keep the space shuttles flying until next June and to give Atlantis one last hurrah.Shuttle commander Kenneth Ham was visibly moved as he floated into the space station. He grabbed two of the station astronauts in a tight embrace. The rendez-vous by Atlantis was accompanied by considerably more picture-taking than usual, to make up for a curtailed safety survey the day before. Four of the six space station residents snapped a total of 398 pictures using zoom lenses as Atlantis made its final approach. The shuttle performed a slow backflip so all its surfaces could be photographed. An hour later, it docked flawlessly with the station, 220 miles (354 kilometres) above the South Pacific. On Saturday, a snagged cable prevented the six shuttle astronauts from properly inspecting their ship. NASA ordered up extra pictures and doubled the usual number of space station photographers.
The astronauts may try to free the cable during a spacewalk this week. Ham and his crew will spend a week at the orbiting science complex, installing a new Russian compartment and replacing six batteries.
Three spacewalks are planned, beginning om Monday. If the cable repair is approved, it likely would be added to the second spacewalk on Wednesday. A cable on Atlantis' inspection boom is caught in a camera.
The problem prevented the astronauts from thoroughly checking the left wing and some other areas of the shuttle on Saturday. Flight controllers used the space station's robot arm to photograph the missed areas after Atlantis docked.
Shuttle inspections became mandatory in orbit following the 2003 Columbia tragedy.
Columbia shattered during re-entry because of a hole in the left wing; it was left there by insulating foam that broke off the fuel tank during liftoff. Discovery is due at the space station in September, followed by Endeavour in November. NASA will need approval from the White House if Atlantis is to return in June 2011. The Obama Administration wants NASA out of the low-Earth orbit business and focused instead on asteroid and Mars expeditions. American astronauts will hitch rides to the space station on Russian rockets until US Private companies can pick up the slack.