Iron Maiden have got into the space age – by paying a visit to the NASA Space Centre in Houston, Texas.

The band were shown around the complex by astronaut Michael J. Massimino.

Says Irons vocalist Bruce Dickinson: “We appear to have a lot of fans at NASA, and it was a real pleasure to meet some of them, especially, of course, a bona fide astronaut who has made a number of space walks.

“Hearing first-hand of Michael’s experiences was fascinating. He took us round the Space Station and Shuttle and up close to the incredible Saturn 5 rocket. Fans working in the Mission Control room had even put up pictures of the band on the huge screens where you would normally see the rockets taking off!

“The highlight was unquestionably the Apollo Room, from where the moon landings were coordinated, this was to step back into history. Looking at the relative simplicity of the equipment compared to today, it is amazing how they managed to pull it off.

“Each of us even got to take off, fly and land the Space Shuttle on the simulator, a real thrill. We felt very privileged and hope that Michael and our NASA fans enjoyed our Houston show as much as we enjoyed our visit with them.”

Rumours that Maiden were in discussions about doing a gig in space can’t be confirmed right now!

The new Maiden album, The Final Frontier, is released on August 16. You can still download the song El Dorado for free at www.ironmaiden.com

The band headline the last night of the Sonisphere Festival at Knebworth Park on August 1.