NASA ISS Image: Shuttle Discovery, Soyuz Progress, HTV and ATV-2 docked

The International Space Station is photographed by a Shuttle Discovery crew member as the shuttle approaches the station for docking. There never have been so many countries' space vessels parked at the International space station, all at the same time. Unfortunately, it will probably never happen again, given the impending retirement of the shuttle fleet.

Russia cancelled plans to fly around and take pictures of the crowded lab. The flyabout by Russia's Soyuz capsule would have provided new camera angles on the ISS as well as an unusual group photo of all the five participating nations' vehicles and equipment together for the first time. Japan's HTV craft, the European ATV supply ship, Russia's Soyuz and Progress space capsules and the American space shuttle Discovery are all docked at the ISS, and don't forget that Canada's Dextre robot and robotic arm is up and running there, too.

Picture: AP / NASA