Vote in Congress keeps Ohio in space shuttle race

DAYTON, Ohio (AP) — An Ohio museum’s bid to land one of NASA’s retiring space shuttles has survived a congressional attempt by southern lawmakers to give their states the edge.

A House committee voted Thursday to eliminate a provision in a NASA funding bill that would have ordered the space agency to give priority to Texas and Florida. The shuttles will be grounded after the program’s final flight in February 2011.

The Air Force museum at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base near Dayton is one of 21 institutions vying to land one of three orbiters.

The Smithsonian in Washington is getting the shuttle Discovery. NASA is still deciding where to send the others, Endeavour and Atlantis.

NASA administrator Charles Bolden is expected to make a final decision later this year.