Discovery spacecraft has arrived at the International Space Station

Yesterday, 17 March, the Discovery spacecraft arrived at the International Space Station (ISS), carrying the last set of solar batteries to help ISS operate at maximum power.

Discovery ship is in the position to connect with ISS.

Two spacecraft were paired together in Australia's sky about 350km.

'Welcome to the space station, Discovery. We are happy to see you here, 'said Mike Fincke, ISS captain.

Before stopping, commander Lee Archambault controlled Discovery to turn 360 degrees so that astronauts on ISS could take photos of its body. More than 200 digital photos were sent immediately to Earth. Experts will analyze these images to find out if the Discovery ship has been damaged during launch. This was a mandatory step after the accident of the Columbia ship in 2003. A fuel-cell insulation sponge hit Columbia's wing during takeoff, causing the ship and crew to return to earth two the following week.

In this mission, astronauts will install solar battery wings, about 35 meters long, on a frame with a radiator installed.

In addition, Discovery also carries the necessary equipment for the space station's new water reprocessing system, including a urine processor and iodine scavenger to kill bacteria. NASA wants this system to work before increasing personnel on ISS from 3 to 6 people by the end of this May. The system is designed to turn astronauts urine into drinking water. The system was posted to ISS in November last year.

The international space station will also have new members, Koichi Wakata. He will become the first Japanese to live on ISS, replacing the astronaut Magnus who has been on ISS since November last year.

Discovery will have 8 days on the space station and the astronauts will have three space walks. Compared to originally expected, Discovery stayed less than two days.

Discovery will have to leave in the middle of next week so a Russian spacecraft can bring two new astronauts to ISS. The trip is scheduled to begin on March 26.