New Russian Docking Port Opened For Business At Station

A newly delivered Russian docking compartment is open at the International Space Station this morning, the fourth berthing port for Soyuz crew transport and Progress resupply vehicles at the outpost.

Leak checks between the docking port and the station were completed before cosmonaut Oleg Kotov cracked the hatch to the Rassvet -- or 'dawn' -- module, an 11,000-pound spacecraft hauled up aboard shuttle Atlantis. The joined shuttle-station complex was flying 220 miles above the southeast coast of Japan during the grand opening at 6:52 a.m.

Kotov is putting an air filter in place in the spacecraft and then the hatch will be closed again fot several hours to allow the device to cleanse air in the docking compartment.

About 6,500 pounds of American supplies and equipment are housed in the module. The unloading of the gear will be done after the shuttle departs the station on Sunday.