By Niall O’Dowd

Houston — Will there be an Irish astronaut in space sometime in the near future? I think the answer is a definite yes after spending a few days at NASA headquarters in Houston last week.

It is clear that there is an extraordinary relationship building between the American space program and Ireland, one that has huge implications for the future.

The prospect of an Irish astronaut no longer lives only in science fiction. I have no doubt whatever after talking to top NASA personnel that within a few years we will see it.

I came to Houston with Irish Minister for Labor Affairs Tony Kileen and a delegation from FAS, Ireland’s national training and employment authority which is intent on a new initiative linking Irish workers with NASA. They were in town to further build on the ambitious program.

It is of great interest to Irish Americans that Ireland plays a part in the space program. After all, there have been astronauts from 15 countries in space, and given the close linkage between America and Ireland it is long overdue.

To say that NASA rolled out the red carpet for the Irish last week would be an understatement. As Kileen remarked, the Irish have a reputation for hospitality but that was soon put in the shade at the Johnston Space Center in Houston.

Our guide was George Abbey, former head of the Johnson Space Center, a man so powerful that he was described as “the kingpin of the American space program” in a recent magazine article.

Abbey seemed just as happy discussing Irish traditional music, of which he is a huge fan, as much as the latest plans for the mission to Mars. He opened doors for the Irish delegation that very few get access to.

We all had the opportunity to meet the star of the space program, Eileen Collins, who commanded the last Shuttle flight and is intensely proud of her Irish roots.

Collins led us on a tour of the Space Shuttle, an incredible experience. We saw where she and six other colleagues spent 14 days in space and probably saved the entire Shuttle program by completing their mission successfully after recent disasters.

What strikes you immediately is how tiny the living quarters are, not much bigger than the cockpit of a commercial airliner, and how cramped it must be in space. Collins told us she had looked for Ireland from space, but, alas on her latest mission it was always clouded over.

Next up was a visit to the mock up of the International Space Station, exact in every detail. There is more room, perhaps the equivalent of the bottom half of a small house, but when you consider that six or seven astronauts can spend up to 12 months on the center it still seems mighty confined.

Next up was Mission Control, not the present day one, but where the moon landing was directed from. It was incredible to see the rotary phones, the very basic computer equipment and how small the actual room was. Yet, perhaps man’s greatest achievement had taken place in that very room.

We had the pleasure too of meeting Irish interns who may some day be suiting up for space and several Irish American astronauts who would love to see that happen.

I have no doubt at all after this trip that it will, and what a boost that would be to Irish pride.