ant iss ▁under ▁bel ly ▁for ▁ 9 0 ▁seconds , ▁as ▁part ▁of ▁post - launch ▁ins pe ctions ▁of ▁the ▁thermal ▁protection ▁system . ▁The ▁photos ▁were ▁sent ▁to ▁mission ▁control ▁in ▁Houston ▁to ▁be ▁evaluated ▁by ▁exper ts ▁on ▁the ▁ground ▁to ▁look ▁for ▁any ▁damage . At lant is ▁dock ed ▁with ▁the ▁I SS ▁Press ur ized ▁M ating ▁Ad apter - 2 ▁at ▁ 1 5 : 0 7 ▁UTC ▁as ▁the ▁two ▁orb ited ▁ 2 2 0 ▁miles ▁( 3 5 0   km ) ▁over ▁the ▁South ▁Pacific ▁Ocean ▁east ▁of ▁New ▁Zealand . ▁This ▁was ▁Atl ant iss ▁ 1 9 th ▁dock ing ▁to ▁a ▁Space ▁Station . ▁" H ou ston , ▁station , ▁Atl ant is , ▁capture ▁confirmed ▁and ▁we ▁see ▁free ▁dr ift ," ▁radio ed ▁Hur ley , ▁confirm ing ▁the ▁successful ▁dock ing . ▁In ▁reply , ▁" At lant is ▁arriv ing ," ▁said ▁Ron ▁Gar an ▁after ▁the ▁cer emon ial ▁ring ing ▁of ▁the ▁station ' s ▁bell . ▁" Wel come ▁to ▁the ▁International ▁Space ▁Station ▁for ▁the ▁last ▁time ". ▁A ▁series ▁of ▁leak ▁checks ▁were ▁done ▁on ▁both ▁sides ▁of ▁the ▁h atch es , ▁before ▁they ▁were ▁opened ▁at ▁ 1 6 : 4 7 ▁UTC . ▁Short ly ▁afterwards , ▁the ▁sh utt le ▁crew ▁flo ated ▁into ▁the ▁station ' s ▁Harm ony ▁module ▁at ▁ 1 6 : 5 5 ▁UTC . ▁After ▁a ▁brief ▁wel