Shannon Airport has had many eye-catching visitors over the years. But the prospect of a pay-load carrying NASA space shuttle hurtling towards it in a potential crash landing scenario with an “eight to 20 second” warning understandably surprised even the most world-weary of officials.

New files released to the National Archives of Ireland under the 30-year rule show that in early 1995, the government was contacted by US officials to request the use of the west of Ireland travel hub as an emergency landing location for the space shuttle.

In a letter to the Department of Foreign Affairs on 14 March 1995, a senior official from the US embassy to Dublin said that as part of “an ongoing review of emergency planning for shuttle launches” it now needed an “additional emergency landing site”.

The letter said this requirement was due to the fact the decision by the US and Russia to “co-operate on building the International Space Station” meant the space shuttle would now be taking off on a slightly different trajectory, bringing Ireland into play, as the note explained: “If there were multiple main engine failures after take off, the shuttle would have to attempt an abort landing at the primary [location] in Zaragoza, Spain.

“If, while taking the action to abort to Zaragoza, the shuttle were to then experience additional engine failure, there would be an eight to 20 second period where insufficient power would exist to get the shuttle all the way to Zaragoza.

“In that event, the shuttle could attempt an emergency landing at Shannon Airport.”

Partially to calm any concerns from officials, the letter continued that should this happen “United States personnel (both US government and contractor) would be dispatched” to retrieve the space shuttle and “foreign pay-loads” if they were on board at the time of the crash landing.

The US embassy letter also said steps would be necessary to “safeguard the lives of the astronauts” involved, and that it would be “prepared to assume liability for damage caused” should the situation occur.

However, making it clear the request was likely to be a request in name only and not up for debate, it also pointed out Ireland was required to allow these events under two not exactly briefly named international agreements: the Treaty on Principles Governing the Activities of States in the Exploration and Use of Outer Space, Including the Moon and Other Celestial Bodies; and the Agreement on the Return of Astronauts, the Return of Astronauts and the Return of Objects Launched Into Outer Space.

Over the coming months, government officials from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Department of Transport discussed how to respond to the NASA-related request, ultimately deciding that as Ireland had signed up to both treaties in the 1960s it had to provide the help.

This included a hand-written note on 28 April 1995, from Raphael V Siev of the Department of Foreign Affairs legal division to Department of Foreign Affairs official Sean McDonald in which Mr Siev said Ireland was “obliged” to adhere to the request, before outlining some of the practical realities in case the space shuttle crash landing missed Shannon Airport itself: “We will need to establish a base which will be able to spring into action if an emergency arises, which will contact Shannon ground services to get prepared, which will notify hospital and fire services in case the landing is in a built-up area, which will notify sea rescue and naval services in case it lands in the sea, etc.

“The Departments of health, environment, transport, communications, justice and defence could all be involved,” Mr Siev wrote, adding that “exploratory talks” should take place with the US to clarify the exact details of what response might be needed.

On 14 June 1995, a note from Department of Foreign Affairs official Mairéad Creed said that the previous week contact had been made between NASA and the Irish Aviation Authority in connection with a planned space shuttle launch on 22 June 1995.

However, perhaps to calm any concerns of an imminent space-related emergency, Ms Creed concluded her note by saying: “It is our understanding that the possibility of Shannon Airport actually being used as a landing site is a very remote one.”

(2025/124/266)