Jul 03, 2013 04:22 PM EDT By Russell Westerholm, UniversityHerald Reporter

NASA will hold a naming contest for a replica shuttle to be constructed in Houston, the local NBC affiliate reported.

The contest begins on Thursday, the Fourth of July, and runs until Sept. 2. The exhibit will part of a $12 million attraction currently being developed in Houston and will stand six stories high.

Space Center Houston said it wants the name submissions to reflect "the spirit of Texas and its unique characteristics of independence, optimism and can-do attitude."

The retired space shuttles that the new replica will be built to resemble were the Enterprise, Atlantis, Endeavor and Discovery were sent to museums in New York City, Cape Canaveral, Los Angeles and Washington D.C. respectively.

The contest will begin on NameTheShuttle.com at 12 a.m. on Independence Day and will run until Labor Day. Contestants will be able to submit ideas and vote on popular names.

CollectSpace.com editor Robert Pearlman predicted the attraction will be a major hit.

"It's the top question that they get at other museums - 'Can I go inside?' and you can't," he said. "Space Center Houston has always been a hands-on place, sharing and educating about space." Pearlman said he has visited all four cities where the original orbiters are housed.

Still, Pearlman is anxious to see what names are actually submitted in the contest.

"I think it's a good opportunity to engage the entire state in embracing this mock-up and the eventual display it's going to be part of as its tribute to the space shuttle program," he said.

After "Vulcan" was denied the name of one of Plutos' moons, "Trekkies," fans of the Star Trek franchise, will not have to worry about campaigning for the shuttle replica to be named after the TV series. That has already happened.

The U.S. shuttle Enterprise was originally supposed to be named "Constitution," according to Space.com. However, a Trekkie fan letter campaign led NASA to name its first shuttle after the fictional spacecraft captained by James T. Kirk.

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