NASA and Embraer In Joint Venture
Houston, TX August 26 (UPI)

Today NASA and executives of Empresa Brasileira de Aeronautica S.A (EMBREAR) announced a joint development venture between the United States space agency and the Brazilian aviation giant.

NASA engineers will begin development of special heat-shield tiles (similar to those used on the space shuttle) for use on Embraer's ERJ line of regioinal jets. The tiles will allow the ERJs to withstand re-entry into the Earth's atmosphere.

It is hoped that the ERJs will be the first commercially viable SpacePlane. When questioned regarding the specifics of the project, Senor Arturo de Flytalk said,"De duk tayp and sooper glu will wurk well."

In a related aviation story, Continental Airlines cancelled all future orders for Boeing's long-range 777 and 767 aircraft. The company plans on being the first airline to use the new ESP (Embraer Space Plane).

[This message has been edited by Billiken (edited 08-26-2002).]