DAYTON, Ohio -- The U.S. Air Force Museum in Ohio is making a bid to land one of NASA's space shuttles after the fleet is retired in late 2010.

Air Force Secretary Michael Donley sent a letter to the space agency in March making the request.

NASA has not indicated when it will make a decision on where the retired orbiters will be displayed. Spokesman Mike Curie said it's in everyone's interest to find a location where the shuttles can be seen by the greatest number of people.

The Air Force museum at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base near Dayton draws 1.3 million visitors a year. Museum director Charles Metcalf said a shuttle's drawing power would push that to about 2 million.