Endeavor Crew On Space Station Making Repairs, Expanding Living Space

November 17, 2008 9:49 a.m. EST

Cape Canaveral, FL (AHN) - Space shuttle Endeavor has docked at the International Space Center, the hatches between the two are now open and the U.S. astronauts have been welcomed aboard, NASA officials say.

STS-126 crew members entered the Harmony Node at 7:16 p.m. EST on Sunday, NASA said.

Astronaut Sandra Magnus, who arrived on the Endeavor, has replaced Astronaut Greg Chamitoff as the Expedition 18 Engineer and Chamitoff will return to earth on the Endeavor in two weeks.

The new crew will help makeover the space station to expand the living space so twice as many astronauts can live there next year. Construction began on the space station about 10 years ago on Nov. 20, 1998.

Crew members will also repair the space station's power generating solar array.