Popular adage for aiming higher reads: Hitch your wagon to a star! And that is exactly what NASA and artist will.i.am seemed to be attempting as, for the first time in history, a recorded song was beamed to Earth from Mars Tuesday.

Curiosity rover transmitted the song "Reach for the Stars", by will.i.am, to a select gathering of students, guests and news media at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena.

The song apparently was played as an honor to NASA pioneer Neil Armstrong's life and legacy and inspires students to follow his path.

Musician will.i.am, a popular advocate of science and technology education, said: "Today is about inspiring young people to lead a life without limits placed on their potential and to pursue collaboration between humanity and technology through STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics) education. I know my purpose is to inspire young people because they will keep inspiring me back," a NASA release stated.

will.i.am's, i.am angel Foundation and Discovery Education announced a $10-million classroom education initiative that will reach 25 million students annually including those from underserved communities.

"I didn't want to do a song that was done on computer. I wanted to show human cooperation and have an orchestra there, and (create) something that would be timeless, and translate to different cultures," will.i.am told USA Today.

Previously, will.i.am was featured in a 2011 NASA promotional video that highlighted the importance of science, technology, engineering and mathematics for young students.

Grammy-award winning will.i.am, who has been Black-Eyed Peas front man for long, stated it was "surreal" to hear the transmission from the red planet.

The broadcast from Mars apparently shows the possibilities from the planet, apart from the current search for prospects of life on Mars.

Though "Reach for the Stars" is the first song to be beamed from Red Planet, previously NASA broadcast the Beatles song "Across the Universe" from the cosmos to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the song.

NASA Mars