Article Posted on : - Jul 10, 2011

Space shuttle Atlantis is seen through the window of a Shuttle Training Aircraft (STA) as it lifts off at 11:29 a.m. EDT from Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Photo: NASA/Dick Clark.

CAPE CANAVERAL, FLORIDA (AP): The space shuttle Atlantis hasn't performed like a ship ready for retirement.

The first full day of the final flight of the aging space shuttle fleet has been practically flawless.

NASA officials say the unusually small four-person crew of Atlantis worked through lunch Saturday and finished their tasks in near record time.

After Friday's launch, the astronauts inspected the shuttle's heat shield for launch damage and prepared for today's docking with the International Space Station.

So far, Atlantis doesn't even have minor glitches. The worst problem is that the crew could not find an eye chart for a vision test, something that caused a chuckle among ground controllers.

Flight Director Kwatsi Alibaruho said the lack of problems allows engineers to enjoy the final flight more.