Atlantis performs well on first day Injured vet, thrown from coaster, dies Man charged in crash that killed officer

The space shuttle Atlantis hasn't performed like a ship ready forretirement.

The first full day of the final flight of the aging space shuttlefleet - the most complicated machines ever built - was practicallyflawless.

NASA officials say the unusually small four-person crew ofAtlantis finished its tasks in nearrecord time. After Friday'slaunch, the crew inspected the shuttle's heat shield for launchdamage and prepared for Sunday morning's docking with theInternational Space Station.

Early indications are that inspections of the shuttle's heatshield found no damage to worry about. In 2003, the space shuttleColumbia exploded upon reentry because of damage suffered duringliftoff.

On Sunday at 11:07 a.m., Atlantis is scheduled to dock with theInternational Space Station to deliver more than four tons ofsupplies.

An Army veteran who lost both legs in Iraq was killed Friday whenhe was thrown from a roller coaster at an Upstate New York amusementpark.

Teams of inspectors were examining the Ride of Steel coasterSaturday at the Darien Lake Theme Park Resort, about 30 miles eastof Buffalo.

Sgt. James T. Hackemer, 29, was ejected from the 208-foot-tallride during an outing with family and friends. Authorities and apark spokeswoman declined to say at what point in the ride theaccident occurred.

Hackemer was missing all of his left leg and most of his rightone, as well as part of a hip. He had been wounded in 2008 by anarmor-penetrating warhead.

A Texas man has been charged with capital murder after police sayhe intentionally drove his sport-utility vehicle into the patrol carof an officer.

Bond was set at $250,000 Saturday for John W. Nero, 30, ofBeaumont in southeast Texas. He remained in a hospital in seriouscondition with injuries sustained in the Friday night crash.

Police said that Nero, suspected of assaulting his mother andgrandmother, was fleeing police and that Beaumont Officer Bryan M.Hebert, 36, had positioned himself ahead and was retrieving roadspikes from his trunk. The SUV struck the cruiser head-on, pushingit into the officer, police said.

Hebert, a 10-year police veteran, was pronounced dead at ahospital.

Passes for N.Y. 9/11 memorial to be available online: People whowant to visit the National Sept. 11 Memorial at the World TradeCenter site when it opens in two months can start reserving ticketsover the Internet on Monday. Visitors will be able to get timedpasses for the memorial, which opens to the public Sept. 12.

Injured eagle recovering: A young bald eagle found floating onthe Delaware River on July 4 is recovering at a bird rescue centernear Newark, Del. The bird has foot injuries that would make itdifficult to catch prey, so she cannot survive in the wild. The birdwas found floating belly-up with her wings spread on the water.Animal keepers believe she only recently left the nest.