WASHINGTON, Sept. 11 (Xinhua) -- Space shuttle Atlantis successfully docked with the International Space Station at 6:48 a.m. EDT Monday, according to NASA TV.

International Space Station flight engineer Jeff Williams works in the Destiny module prior to the docking of the Space Shuttle Atlantis with the orbiting laboratory in this view from NASA TV Sept. 11, 2006. (Xinhua/Reuters Photo) Photo Gallery >>>

    Guided by Commander Brent Jett, Atlantis completed a smooth docking maneuver with the orbiting outpost. The nearly two-day trip from Earth ended around 220 miles (350 km) above the southeastern part of the Pacific Ocean.

    "Pretty good," radioed astronaut Jeff Williams to Mission Control from inside the space station.

    NASA said Atlantis's arrival marked the resumption of the construction of the station.

    Inside Atlantis's payload bay is the truss segment and a new set of solar arrays for the station. After the truss is attached to the station, the crew will conduct three spacewalks to outfit and prepare the truss and arrays for operation.

    This is the first station assembly mission since the Columbia disaster.

    The Atlantis crew will enter the station for the first time at about 7:50 a.m. EDT, where they will be greeted by the Expedition 13 crew. The two crews will quickly begin preparations for Tuesday's installation of the truss and the first spacewalk, according to NASA flight updates.

    About an hour before this delicate linkup, Atlantis performed a tricky back flip to allow the station crew to take pictures of the orbiter's underbelly.

    The pictures will be sent to engineers on the ground for analysis, who will look to see if there was any damage caused to the spacecraft's heat shield during liftoff. Enditem

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