Shuttle Atlantis docks with space station on final mission

The shuttle Atlantis docked with the International Space Station for the last time Sunday, on its final mission before being retired.

The shuttle Atlantis docked with the International Space Station for the last time Sunday, on its final mission before being retired.

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NASA said Atlantis linked with the orbiting space lab at 10:28 am (1428 GMT) about 350 kilometres above the South Pacific.

The Atlantis is delivering tons of crucial new equipment to the nearly-completed orbital laboratory on a 12-day final mission that got under way on Friday.

On completion of the mission, the shuttle will be retired after a quarter of a century of space flights.