Wednesday, NASA released a request for information (RFI) asking for ideas concerning what to do with the shuttle orbiters and main engines after their shuttle program ends in 2010.

The RFI, which is sponsored by NASA’s Office of Infrastructure, is seeking answers from museums, science centers, institutions and other organizations specializing in educational outreach that also benefit from experience in public display of space hardware, according to a statement issued by the agency.

The data gathered via the RFI will be used by NASA in order to come up with strategies regarding where to place two space shuttle orbiters and a minimum of six unassembled space shuttle main engines along with the airframes.

NASA has informed that the institutions or organizations interested in funding the displaying of the shuttles and providing all that is needed for their placement had until March 17, 2009 to send their applications.

Currently, the agency has revealed their plans to donate one of the orbiters to the Smithsonian museum, adding though that all of the space shuttles would be made available for donation only after September 30, 2011, while they are scheduled to reach their final destination on May 31, 2012, the latest.

Nevertheless, NASA is still bound by the NASA Act of 2008, which entails that if president-elect of the United States Barack Obama should decide to expand the shuttle program beyond 2010, the agency has to do what ordered.

It has been estimated that the costs for coming into the possession of a space shuttle would amount to $42 million, including decommissioning and delivery charges.