Atlantis docks at station, bearing spare parts

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - The shuttle Atlantis arrived at the International Space Station yesterday for a weeklong stay, and the astronauts quickly unloaded a huge platform full of spare parts needed to keep the outpost running for another decade.

The platform - 16 by 14 feet - contained pumps, storage tanks, and other equipment weighing hundreds of pounds each. Robot arms did the heavy lifting, just hours after the two craft joined up 220 miles above the Pacific.

Astronaut Nicole Stott, a station resident for the last 21/2 months, was thrilled to see Atlantis, which will be her ride home. She spotted the shuttle from three miles out.

"I have my ticket all ready and stamped, waiting for you guys when you get here," Stott radioed to shuttle commander Charles Hobaugh.

Before docking, Hobaugh guided Atlantis through a pirouette for the station's cameras, for a final check to make sure the thermal tiles on its belly showed no launch damage.

So far, all indications are that Atlantis made it through Monday's liftoff just fine, NASA officials said. Experts will keep analyzing the data, which include about 300 digital photos taken yesterday.

The only shuttle problem of note - more a nuisance than anything - involved laptops. The astronauts had to contend with a poky connection rather than the usual DSL-type high speed, which slowed the transmission of pictures, charts, and e-mail between Atlantis and Mission Control. Critical operations were not affected, flight director Mike Sarafin said.

Atlantis will be at the station until next Wednesday, enough time for the two crews - 12 astronauts total - to unload nearly 15 tons of spare parts. Half that gear was moved over shortly after the docking.

The first of three space walks will take place today.

NASA is stockpiling the station with as much equipment as possible. Once the shuttles are retired next fall, the orbiting complex will lose its biggest supplier. Five shuttle missions remain after this one.