U.S. shuttle Atlantis docks with space station

 　　WASHINGTON, July 10 (Xinhua) -- U.S. space shuttle Atlantis docked with the International Space Station on Sunday morning after nearly two days of flight.

　　Commander Christopher Ferguson guided space shuttle Atlantis to a docking with the station at 11:07 a.m. EDT (1507 GMT) when the two spacecrafts were flying 240 miles up over east of New Zealand, according to NASA.

　　This was the 12th and final time Atlantis docked to the space station. It was the 46th shuttle docking to a space station, nine to the Russian Mir station and 37 to the International Space Station.

　　The shuttle and station crews will open hatches and hold the traditional welcome ceremony at about 1:19 p.m. EDT (1719 GMT). The combined crew of 10 will begin more than a week of docked operations, transferring vital supplies and equipment to sustain station operations once the shuttles are retired¹.

　　Atlantis lifted off on Friday morning from Kennedy Space Center in Florida, on the 135th and final flight in NASA's shuttle program.

　　It is the 33rd voyage for Atlantis. Its return to the earth later this month will mark the end of the 30-year shuttle program.(本文由在线英语听力室整理编辑)

1 retired   

adj.隐退的，退休的，退役的

参考例句：

• The old man retired to the country for rest.这位老人下乡休息去了。
• Many retired people take up gardening as a hobby.许多退休的人都以从事园艺为嗜好。