( CNN ) -- Rapper will.i.am can boast of an accomplishment that is out of this world : His latest single premiered from Mars , making it the first song to debut on another planet . The Black Eyed Peas singer wrote the song , `` Reaching for the Stars , '' to mark the successful landing of NASA 's Curiosity rover on the Red Planet this month . A far cry from his regular hip-hop tunes , it features a 40-piece orchestra set to a futuristic beat . The song is set to transcend time and cultures , he said . `` Mars has always fascinated us , and the things Curiosity tells us about it will help us learn about whether or not life was possible there , '' said Charles Bolden , the NASA administrator . `` And what future human explorers can expect , will.i.am has provided the first song on our playlist of Mars exploration . '' The song was unveiled during a news conference Tuesday at a NASA laboratory in Pasadena , California . The playback included Martian photos of eroded knobs , gulches on a mountainside and exposed geological layering . Flight director Bobak Ferdowsi , aka `` Mohawk Guy , '' gave a thumbs up and hit the play button , sending his teammates beaming , swaying and clapping . `` Why do they say the sky is the limit , '' will.i.am sings , `` when I 've seen the footprints on the Moon . '' The tune -- which aims to encourage youth to study science -- completed a trip of more than 300 million miles from Earth to Mars and back , according to NASA . `` And I know that Mars might be far , but baby it ai n't really that far , '' will.i.am goes on . `` Let 's reach for the stars . '' In addition to the singer , students also attended the event in Pasadena , where they asked questions about the Curiosity mission and the song 's interplanetary transmission . `` This is about inspiring young people to lead a life without limits placed on their potential and to pursue collaboration between humanity and technology , '' will.i.am said . While will.i.am has the first song , NASA also accomplished another feat this week . Bolden 's became the first human voice broadcast from another planet . The space agency 's accomplishments are the latest in a series of advances aimed at making science more cool . NASA beamed The Beatles ' `` Across the Universe '' into space on February 4 , 2008 . The song marked the anniversary of the day The Beatles recorded the song and the 50th year of NASA 's founding . An excited Paul McCartney welcomed the beaming of the song written by fellow Beatle John Lennon . `` Amazing ! Well done , NASA ! '' McCartney said in a message to the space agency at the time . `` Send my love to the aliens . '' Despite the complexity of landing a 2,000-pound vehicle on another planet , Curiosity had a perfect landing on August 6 , and most of the instruments scientists have tested appear to function . Curiosity is sending back more data from the surface of Mars than the combined results of all of NASA 's previous rovers , the space agency said . Last week , it completed its first drive on Mars , setting the stage for it to venture farther afield . There 's only been one glitch so far : a wind sensor on the rover 's weather station was damaged and the reason might always remain mysterious , scientists say .
` ` Reach for the Sky '' by will.i.am is beamed from the Red Planet . The song , which features a 40-piece orchestra , celebrates Mars ' moon . It also aims to encourage children to study music .