Workers use an aircraft tug vehicle to back Atlantis away from the mate demate device at Kennedy Space Center's Shuttle Landing Facility.

Workers use an aircraft tug vehicle to back Atlantis away from the mate/demate device at Kennedy Space Center's Shuttle Landing Facility. The orbiter will be towed to the Orbiter Processing Facility where processing will begin 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/George Shelton.