The space shuttle Atlantis made a slow, solemn journey to retirement today, accompanied by astronauts and Nasa workers.

US president Barack Obama has said he remains confident that a government shutdown can be avoided this weekend if negotiators can build on constructive talks over a public spending impasse.

Two spacewalking astronauts attached the last pieces of scientific equipment to the outside of the space station’s new lab today and packed away a broken gyroscope for next week’s return journey home.

A hail storm left hundreds of dents on space shuttle Atlantis’ external fuel tank, and Nasa managers were today not sure if the damage was severe enough to postpone next month’s launch.

The crews of the US space shuttle Atlantis and international space station Alpha yesterday entered the science laboratory Destiny for the first time after it was attached to its new home.