‘Peace and love across the universe’: NASA astronauts mark Ringo Starr’s 80th birthday

International Space Station commander Chris Cassidy (left) and musician Ringo Starr (Images: Facebook/International Space Station, AP/Invision/Scott Gries)

NASA astronauts in the International Space Station greeted the former Beatles drummer Ringo Starr a happy birthday from 260 miles above Earth. The musician turns 80 years old today, July 7.

Chris Cassidy, commander of the ISS, also had a short yet meaningful message for Starr on behalf of his crew. The station posted the greeting on Facebook earlier today.

The brief clip showed Cassidy floating in the station’s interior while he wished Starr a happy birthday.

“As an icon in music, your message of peace and love has echoed around the world for decades,” the astronaut said, referring to Starr’s popular mantra.

https://www.facebook.com/ISS/videos/279210786477293/

“Our crew and the entire NASA family would like to extend this message to the world and across the universe from our orbiting laboratory,” Cassidy added.

Meanwhile, Starr announced that he will be marking his special day with a virtual concert.

“I’m going to celebrate it a little differently than I have for the last 12 years, when we have the peace and love moment,” he told the Philippine Daily Inquirer. “Last year, we celebrated it in Nice. But we started in 2008 in Chicago.”

Among the artists featured in the event will be his fellow Beatles member Paul McCartney and guitarist Joe Walsh.

The concert aims to raise funds for the Black Lives Matter Global Network, the David Lynch Foundation, Musicares and Wateraid.  /ra

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