The space shuttle Atlantis, fresh from a fiery and nearly flawless launch, was in hot pursuit of the International Space Station, but is not expected to catch the giant orbiting platform until Sunday.
The seven-person crew of Atlantis was closing the gap with the station by 920 miles every 90-minute orbit.
Atlantis was scheduled to be more than 86-hundred miles away from its destination. Atlantis was to dock with the space station tomorrow afternoon.
Some foam debris shook loose from the shuttle's external fuel tank after last night's liftoff. NASA officials don't think Atlantis was damaged but will be checking today to make sure.
During the scheduled 11-day flight, the astronauts will deliver a new segment and a pair of solar panels to the orbiting outpost. They plan three spacewalks - on Monday, Wednesday and Friday - to install the new equipment and retract an old solar panel.
From The Associated Press
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