McCartney: ‘Send my love to the aliens’

(FEBRUARY 1, 2008) — It makes you wonder just who will be listening. For the first time, NASA will beam a song — The Beatles' "Across the Universe" — directly into deep space at 7 p.m. EST on Monday, February 4. The transmission over NASA's Deep Space Network will commemorate the 40th anniversary of the day The Beatles recorded the song, as well as the 50th anniversary of NASA's founding. In addition, it will also honor the launch 50 years ago this week of Explorer 1, the first successful U.S. satellite, and the founding 45 years ago of the Deep Space Network, an international network of antennas that supports interplanetary spacecraft missions and radio and radar astronomy observations to explore the universe. Beatles fans have declared February 4 as "Across The Universe Day" and are asking the public to play the song at the same time it is transmitted by NASA. According to a NASA press release, the transmission will be aimed at the North Star, located 431 light years away from Earth, and the song will travel across the universe at a speed of 186,000 miles per second. Former Beatle Sir Paul McCartney expressed excitement that the tune, which was principally written by fellow Beatle John Lennon, was being beamed into the cosmos. "Amazing! Well done, NASA!" McCartney said in a message to the space agency. "Send my love to the aliens. All the best, Paul." "I see that this is the beginning of the new age in which we will communicate with billions of planets across the universe," said Lennon's widow, Yoko Ono. It is not the first time Beatles music has been used by NASA; in November 2005, McCartney performed the song "Good Day Sunshine" during a concert that was transmitted to the International Space Station. "Here Comes the Sun," "Ticket to Ride" and "A Hard Day's Night" are among other Beatles' songs that have been played to wake astronaut crews in orbit. The Words to “Across the Universe” Words are flying out like endless rain into a paper cup They slither while they pass They slip away across the universe Pools of sorrow waves of joy are drifting thorough my open mind Possessing and caressing me Jai guru deva om Nothing's gonna change my world Nothing's gonna change my world Nothing's gonna change my world Nothing's gonna change my world Images of broken light which dance before me like a million eyes That call me on and on across the universe Thoughts meander like a restless wind inside a letter box they tumble blindly as they make their way across the universe Jai guru deva om Nothing's gonna change my world Nothing's gonna change my world Nothing's gonna change my world Nothing's gonna change my world Sounds of laughter shades of life are ringing through my open ears exciting and inviting me Limitless undying love which shines around me like a million suns It calls me on and on across the universe Jai guru deva om Nothing's gonna change my world Nothing's gonna change my world Nothing's gonna change my world Nothing's gonna change my world Jai guru deva Jai guru deva

An estimated 10,000 galaxies are revealed in humankind’s deepest portrait of the visible universe ever from the Hubble Space Telescope. Credit: NASA The Beatles’ “Across the Universe” is making history. Credit: Beatles.com The cover art from the Beatles’ “Let It Be” album, which was released in 1970. The album contains the song “Across the Universe.” Want to preview the song? Then click here .

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