City launches bid to bring retired shuttle to Houston

HOUSTON

"Help bring a retired shuttle home to where it belongs -- Houston, Texas!" said Milo Hamilton, Astros announcer.

The mayor, county judge, and family members of fallen astronauts from the Challenger and Columbia disasters spoke about the importance of Houston receiving one of the retired shuttles. Evelyn Husband-Thompson, the widow of Columbia mission commander Rick Husband, talked about New York City's bid for a retired shuttle.

"New York's a great place, but they don't have astronauts, they don't have mission control. This is where the shuttle belongs. This is its home," said Husband-Thompson.

NASA has already promised a shuttle to the Smithsonian Institution's National Air and Space Museum.

A decision will be made by NASA Administrator Charles Bolden next Tuesday, April 12.