NASA wants Concorde to replace shuttle

NASA has announced plans to purchase Air France and British Airways fleets of Concorde as a replacement for the space shuttle. The move, which was prompted by the finding of a special Space Agency report into the Columbia Space Shuttle disaster, recommends the use of the recently maligned supersonic airliner.

According to NASA spokesman Edgar “Zip” Lightyear the solution is a logical one: ‘It’s safer, plain and simple. Concorde’s been whizzing from New York to London and Paris for over 30 years and in all that time it’s had one crash. Well, that might be enough for the Europeans to call time on the old bird, but over here we see things a little differently. We reckon we can modify the craft and fly it to the moon.’

It is understood that NASA has brokered a deal worth in the region of $20 for the fleet, which was due to be scrapped in October. Among the improvements expected to be made to Concorde include a tefal coating to make it slip through the atmosphere, asbestos suits for the crew, “just in case” and free champagne on all return flights.s.