On the mate demate device at Kennedy Space Center's Shuttle Landing Facility technicians monitor the progress beneath it.

On the mate/demate device at Kennedy Space Center's Shuttle Landing Facility, technicians monitor the progress as Atlantis is lifted up from the shuttle carrier aircraft, or SCA, beneath it. The orbiter will be lowered to the ground and then towed to the Orbiter Processing Facility to begin processing for its next launch, mission STS-122 in December. Atlantis arrived at Kennedy Space Center atop the SCA on July 3 after a three-day, cross-country flight due to fuel stops and weather delays. Touchdown was at 8:27 a.m. EDT. Atlantis landed at Edwards Air Force Base in California on June 22 to end mission STS-117. Photo credit: NASA/Jack Pfaller.