SHANNON... WE HAVE A PROBLEM

THIS Irish version of one of the most iconic quotes in history could have happened if an unusual emergency plan for the airport with the longest runway in Ireland had come to pass.

- BY SEAN MCCARTHAIGH

The phrase "Shannon.. we have a problem" could have become a reality, echoing the famous Apollo 13 line from 1970 when an oxygen tank blew in space.

Tom Hanks starred in a film about the nerve-wrenching space drama, and famously abbreviated the true quote "Okay Houston.. we've had a problem" to: "Houston.. we have a problem."

Now newly released files from the National Archives show US officials contacted the Irish Government in March 1995 to seek permission to use Shannon Airport in the event of some malfunction with a space shuttle mission.

At the time, NASA was preparing to launch the space shuttle Atlantis in June 1995 on a mission to dock with the Russian Mir space station, which had required a new launch trajectory for the world's first reusable spacecraft.

STOPOVER

The US embassy in Dublin had asked for Shannon Airport which was a key transatlantic stopover base as Europe's westernmost airport with a 3,199-metre runway to be included on a worldwide list of potential landing sites for the space shuttle.

It was explained that the reason for this request was that the altered trajectory of launches would in future bring shuttles in line "where Ireland could be involved".