Atlantis astronauts close in on space station

Astronauts on Atlantis spent their first full day in orbit checking their ship for any launch damage as they steered closer to the international space station.

The shuttle was brimming with birthday presents for the station’s scientific skipper, Peggy Whitson, including a two billion dollar (£1 billion) European lab that she will help set up and several kinds of spicy salsas.