From NASA: "Space Shuttle Discovery’s move from the Vehicle Assembly Building to the mate-demate device, or MDD, at the Shuttle Landing Facility, or SLF, is complete as the sun rises over NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. At the SLF, Discovery will be secured on the back of a Shuttle Carrier Aircraft, or SCA. The MDD is a large gantry-like steel structure used to hoist a shuttle off the ground and position it atop an SCA." (Photo credit: Kim Shiflett/NASA)

From NASA: "At the Shuttle Landing Facility at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, workers secure a sling to space shuttle Discovery to enable the mate-demate device to lift it onto a Shuttle Carrier Aircraft." (Photo credit: NASA/Dimitri Gerondidakis)

From NASA: "At the Shuttle Landing Facility at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, space shuttle Discovery’s front wheels hover above the ground inside the mate-demate device. Operations are under way to position Discovery on top of a Shuttle Carrier Aircraft." (Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett)

From NASA: "At the Shuttle Landing Facility at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, space shuttle Discovery is suspended 60 feet off the ground inside the mate-demate device as the Shuttle Carrier Aircraft, in the background, is towed toward it." (Photo credit: NASA/Tim Jacobs)

From NASA: "At the Shuttle Landing Facility at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, the Shuttle Carrier Aircraft is positioned beneath space shuttle Discovery in the mate-demate device. Discovery will be lowered and mated to the aircraft in preparation for its departure from Kennedy on Tuesday." (Photo credit: NASA)

From NASA: "At the Shuttle Landing Facility at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, space shuttle Discovery is lowered onto the Shuttle Carrier Aircraft in the mate-demate device during mating operations." (Photo credit: NASA/Dimitri Gerondidakis)

From NASA: "The Shuttle Carrier Aircraft carrying space shuttle Discovery backs out of the Shuttle Landing Facility's mate-demate device at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida." (Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett)

From NASA: "At the Shuttle Landing Facility at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, the Shuttle Carrier Aircraft with space shuttle Discovery secured to its back is parked on the tarmac awaiting departure from Kennedy tomorrow morning. The aircraft, also known as an SCA, is a Boeing 747 jet, originally manufactured for commercial use, which was modified by NASA to transport the shuttles between destinations on Earth." (Photo credit: NASA/Tim Jacobs)

From NASA: "Painted graphics line the side of NASA 905 depicting the various ferry flights the Shuttle Carrier Aircraft has supported during the Space Shuttle Program, including the tests using the space shuttle prototype Enterprise." (Photo credit: NASA/Ben Smegelsky)

From NASA: "The Shuttle Carrier Aircraft carrying space shuttle Discovery is on the ramp of the Shuttle Landing Facility at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Earlier, the duo backed out of the mate-demate device." (Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett)

This is what's waiting on the other side for Discovery. From NASA: "Workers use two cranes to position the sling that will be used to demate the space shuttle Discovery, Monday, April 16, 2012, at the Apron W area of Washington Dulles international Airport in Sterling, Va. The sling will be used to demate the space shuttle Discovery from the 747 Shuttle Carrier Aircraft (SCA) once it arrives. Discovery, the first orbiter retired from NASA’s shuttle fleet, completed 39 missions, spent 365 days in space, orbited the Earth 5,830 times, and traveled 148,221,675 miles." (Photo Credit: NASA/Bill Ingalls)

From NASA: "The Shuttle Carrier Aircraft transporting space shuttle Discovery to its new home takes off from the Shuttle Landing Facility at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida at about 7 a.m. EDT. In the background is the 525-foot-tall Vehicle Assembly Building and NASA’s new mobile launcher." (Photo credit: NASA/Glenn Benson)

From NASA: "The Shuttle Carrier Aircraft transporting space shuttle Discovery to its new home flies over the 525-foot-tall Vehicle Assembly Building at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The duo took off from Kennedy’s Shuttle Landing Facility at about 7 a.m. EDT." (Photo credit: NASA/Glenn Benson)

From NASA: "Space shuttle Discovery, mounted atop a NASA 747 Shuttle Carrier Aircraft (SCA) flies near the U.S. Capitol, Tuesday, April 17, 2012, in Washington." (Photo Credit: NASA/Rebecca Roth)

From NASA: "Space shuttle Discovery, mounted atop a NASA 747 Shuttle Carrier Aircraft (SCA) is seen from Top of the Town in Arlington, Virginia as it flies near the U.S. Capitol, Tuesday, April 17, 2012, in Washington." (hoto Credit: NASA/Chris Gunn)

From NASA: "The Shuttle Carrier Aircraft transporting space shuttle Discovery to its new home departs from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida at 7 a.m. EDT accompanied by a T-38 jet. The duo are heading south to fly over Brevard County’s beach communities for residents to get a look at the shuttle before it leaves the Space Coast for the last time." (Photo credit: NASA/Glenn Benson)

From NASA: "Space shuttle Discovery, mounted atop a NASA 747 Shuttle Carrier Aircraft (SCA) flies near the U.S. Capitol, Tuesday, April 17, 2012, in Washington. NASA will transfer Discovery to the National Air and Space Museum to begin its new mission to commemorate past achievements in space and to educate and inspire future generations of explorers." (Photo Credit: NASA/Rebecca Roth)

From NASA: "Space shuttle Discovery, mounted atop a NASA 747 Shuttle Carrier Aircraft (SCA) approaches the runway at Washington Dulles International Airport, Tuesday, April 17, 2012, in Sterling, Va." (Photo Credit: NASA/Paul E. Alers)

From NASA: "Space shuttle Discovery, mounted atop a NASA 747 Shuttle Carrier Aircraft (SCA) lands at Washington Dulles International Airport, Tuesday, April 17, 2012, in Sterling, Va." (Photo Credit: NASA/Paul E. Alers)

What a view to see from the airport. From NASA: "Space shuttle Discovery, mounted atop a NASA 747 Shuttle Carrier Aircraft (SCA) taxis in front of the main terminal at Washington Dulles International Airport, Tuesday, April 17, 2012, in Sterling, Va. Discovery, the first orbiter retired from NASA’s shuttle fleet, completed 39 missions, spent 365 days in space, orbited the Earth 5,830 times, and traveled 148,221,675 miles." (Photo Credit: NASA/Smithsonian Institution/Eric Long)