The shuttle carrier aircraft or SCA is towed toward the mate demate device background.

On the KSC Shuttle Landing Facility, the shuttle carrier aircraft, or SCA, with the orbiter Atlantis on its back is towed toward the mate/demate device (background). Visible on Atlantis is the tail cone that covers and protects the main engines during the ferry flight. Under the device, the orbiter will be detached from the SCA and lowered onto a transporter. Then Atlantis will be towed to the Orbiter Processing Facility to begin processing for its next launch, mission STS-122 in December. Atlantis landed at Edwards Air Force Base in California on June 22 to end mission STS-117. It returned to Kennedy 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. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett