NASA is seeking the counsel of schools and science museums to establish the best way it can publicly display space shuttle orbiters and other equipment. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration officials are consulting all "appropriate organizations" about the eventual acquiring and public displaying of the items developed and used by NASA in its space shuttle program.

In a recently-released statement, NASA officials said the U.S. space agency’s Office of Infrastructure plans to use the data gathered in order to develop strategies for the placement of two space shuttle orbiters and a minimum of six unassembled space shuttle main engine display kits.

NASA officials said the space agency is also seeking new ideas about ways to get the shuttle orbiters and shuttle main engines in the position to inspire the American public especially the students.

NASA’s request for information is available in PDF format at http://www.nasa.gov/pdf/297529main_SSP_RFI.pdf.

Meanwhile, the near future of the aging space shuttle is still gloomy. Barack Obama’s NASA transition team will have to decide whether to prolong its activity or replace the shuttle. The Bush administration wanted to retire the shuttle by 2010 for budget and safety reasons.

Retiring it by 2010 would lead to a 5-year gap until the shuttle's replacement is prepared to blast off. The agency fears that this gap would cause a loss of program expertise. Lawmakers are concerned that the retirement would lead to the loss of thousands of jobs which are now linked to shuttle operations at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

Retiring the shuttle too soon would also mean that NASA will be left with no other choice but to temporarily rely on Russian launches to reach the International Space Station (ISS).

On the other hand, keeping the shuttle operating until 2015, would not only be riskier, but will also cost an additional $13 billion. The risk of astronaut accidents will also be higher.