Europe's revolutionary Jules Verne cargo ship pulled within 2.2 miles of the international space station Saturday, proving the craft's long-range rendezvous systems are ready for next week's docking with the complex.
Backdropped by Earth's horizon and the blackness of space, the International Space Station is seen from space shuttle Endeavour as the two spacecraft begin their relative separation on March 24, 2008 during NASA's STS-123 mission. Japan's new Kibo storage module appears as the squat cylinder atop the central module in this view. Credit: NASA.