By DPA
Washington : Space shuttle Discovery docked with the International Space Station early Thursday after performing a spectacular 360-degree slow-motion backflip before cameras on the station.
The photographs will serve as a second check to examine Discovery’s heat shield for any damage sustained during takeoff. The shuttle crew already performed one inspection with their on-board robot arm on their way to the station Wednesday.
No major signs of impact were noted Wednesday, but all the images are sent to NASA officials for further examination and to determine if more tests were needed.
The examination of heat shield tiles has become routine since a problem with the tiles on the shuttle Columbia caused it to explode on re-entry in 2003, killing all seven astronauts on board.
During the two-week mission, the seven-member crew will complete five space walks to install a European component to expand the station and reposition a set of solar panels.
The Italian-built Harmony, an 8-by-5-metre tube, will connect the US segment of the station to the European module Columbus, now set for delivery in December, and the Japanese module Kibo, set for delivery next year.