Endeavour Docks with Space Station

Space shuttle Endeavour and the STS-126 crew arrived at the International Space Station at 5:01 PM EST Sunday, delivering equipment and supplies and a new crew member to the orbital outpost. The hatches between the station and shuttle opened at 7:16 PM. Expedition 18 welcomed the STS-126 crew members inside the Harmony Node.

Post-docking activities included a crew member exchange. Sandra Magnus, who arrived aboard Endeavour, swapped Soyuz seatliners with station astronaut Greg Chamitoff at 9:50 PM replacing him as Expedition 18 Flight Engineer. Chamitoff is now an STS-126 mission specialist and will return home on Endeavour in two weeks.

The shuttle and station crews will prepare today for the first STS-126 spacewalk by Mission Specialists Heidemarie Stefanyshyn-Piper and Stephen Bowen. The spacewalk is set to take place tomorrow.

Image Credits: NASA TV