Discovery in the MDD

Here we see the Discovery ensconced in the Kennedy Space Center MDD in August 2005. After the shuttle is lifted off the 747 and the aircraft is rolled away, the shuttle is lowered to the ground to be towed to the Orbiter Processing Facility for inspection, testing, and refurbishing. (Or vice versa: the MDD at Edwards AFB is used to lift the shuttle onto the 747 before the flight to Florida.)