USA: NASA beams Beatles' "Across the Universe" to outer space

Record ID: 1530779

  • Title: USA: NASA beams Beatles' "Across the Universe" to outer space
  • Date: 5th February 2008
  • Summary: (BN01) ANIMATION (FILE) (NASA) MUSIC VIDEO MADE BY NASA TO ACCOMPANY SENDING OF 'ACROSS THE UNIVERSE'
  • Embargoed: 20th February 2008 18:11
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Usa
  • Country: USA
  • Topics: Arts / Culture / Entertainment,Space
  • Reuters ID: LVA3ZU1BHYZBSMJT0HFWMCCVNXE8
  • Aspect Ratio: 4:3
  • Story Text: An intergalactic celebration of the Beatles launches with the beaming of their peace anthem "Across the Universe" into outer space.
    An intergalactic celebration of the Beatles launched on Monday (February 4) with the beaming of the group's peace anthem "Across the Universe" into outer space.
    The transmission over NASA's Deep Space Network commemorates the 40th anniversary of the day The Beatles recorded the song, as well as the 50th anniversary of NASA's founding and the group's beginnings.
    NASA transmitted the Beatles tune via its deep space network at midnight GMT, 7 p.m. U.S. Eastern time.
    At exactly the same moment, fans and radio stations worldwide were asked to play "Across The Universe".
    According to NASA, the transmission was aimed at the North Star, Polaris, which is 431 light years away from Earth. The song will travel across the universe at a speed of 186,000 miles per second.
    Former Beatle Paul McCartney, who beamed his first intergalactic concert to the International Space Station in 2005, congratulated NASA and asked them to pass on his regards to anyone else out there.
    Dr Charles Elachi OF NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory said the choice of song was symbolic.

    "It's really a symbol reflecting about moving out and expanding our knowledge and that's what NASA is all about and what our country's about and exploration is about: just expanding our knowledge both physically and intellectually. So I thought that it was a perfect theme, you know: Across the Universe. You couldn't have picked a better theme than that one," he said.
    NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California operates the Deep Space Network.
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