HOUSTON, Del. - One of Delaware's most unique living spaces has cleared a hurdle on its path to inclusion on the National Register of Historic Places. 

The spaceship-like abode, called a Futuro House, landed in Houston in 1977. Since then, Robert Vincelette has called it home, retracting it's 5-step staircase as he comes and goes each day. 

Purchasing the Futuro was no walk in the park though. Vincelette explained how he made monthly payments, directly to the person he bought it from, until 1992. 

"Banks wouldn't have anything to do with [Futuro Houses]," he said. "You couldn't even put them inside any municipal limits because they were 'disruptive to the architectural style of the community.'" 

Although the otherworldly home may resemble a flying saucer, Vincelette wants to make sure it won't be heading to outer space (or worse) any time soon.

"We need to save these the same way we would preserve old films that are classics," he suggested. 

That's why Vincelette has been chasing a nomination for the National Register of Historic Places. 

It was mother-daughter duo Stephanie Holyfield and Valarie Shorter who penned the 30-page proposal which was presented to Delaware's Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs (DHCA) Wednesday morning. Holyfield began the nomination process as part of a history class project while teaching at Wesley College in 2018. 

The two explained how Futuro Homes were introduced at a time when the majority of Americans had outer space on the brain. 

"The original prototype was created in 1968 by a accomplished architect named Matti Suuronen," Holyfield noted. "This was right in the midst of the Space Age, at the height of the Space Race. In fact, we were on the verge of landing on the moon at that time, and so space was permeating American culture." 

The 'Vincelette Futuro' would potentially fall under the social history area on the National Register. 

"We were in the midst of the Cold War at that point and the idea that people could leave the planet just incase we destroyed ourselves was circulating in the science fiction world," Holyfield said. 

Delaware's Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs voted to approve the nomination Wednesday. Now, it heads to the National Park Service in Washington D.C. for final consideration. 

Vincelette believes there may be less than 100 Futuro's remaining in the world. However, there is a second one in Delaware, near Route 1 in Milton.