Space Forum / Shuttle / October 2003

Dateline Reuters Oct 24 2103

  Nigeria announced today that they have sucessfully launched their
first afronaut into space.  The launch vehicle, powered with ethanol,
was a bit short of fuel due to the big party thrown by the launch crew.  
The NASA director congratulated Nigeria, commenting that it was just as
well that the rocket was short on fuel since it had no retro-rockets.  
The retro rockets are budgeted for next year.  Dr. Mfone Gwaly, known to
his friends as Mf, insisted that the spacecraft was in a true orbit,
even if the minor axis was less than the diameter of the earth.

Rastus, the chosen afronaut, was happy with the situation; actually the
entire launch crew were very happy that they had chosen ethanol as the
rocket fuel.  It is an indication of their superior culture, using a
native produced fuel, as well as the fact that they had launched the
very first all-african space ship.

The flight was considered a complete success despite the failure of the
communication system.  Research is expected to explain why the drums
failed to be heard from space.  Western sources expect an electrical
system to be added before the next launch.
;)