A PENDLE engineering firm was shooting for the stars today after signing a lucrative deal with space giants NASA.

PDS Engineering, which was involved in the Thrust SSC project which broke the world land speed record in 1997, has now set its sights on the space race.

The Nelson company is set to take on more staff to join its 18-strong workforce after teaming up with NASA to promote the space agency's products in Europe in a deal signed at the Paris Air Show.

It comes the day after aero giant Rolls-Royce, Pendle's biggest employer with more than 1,000 workers at plants in Barnoldswick, announced it had clocked up £226 million worth of trade at the air show.

PDS is currently building the Quicksilver speedboat that will tackle the world water speed record next year, has signed a contract with NASA to open up European markets for its technology.

It also provided parts for Virgin boss Richard Branson's failed attempt to fly around-the-world in a balloon.

PDS will help European firms tap into space technology as NASA moves away from concentrating on research to become more commercially-minded.

Staff at the firm were "delighted" with the news today. PDS chairman John Getty, who agreed the deal, is still at the air show and managing director Chris Woodcock was not available for comment.

Rolls-Royce has also been busy doing deals at the show. They include orders for V2500 and Trent engines to power Airbus A320s. The Barnoldswick sites manufacture fan blades and other components for the engines.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.