As they aged and their careers were less likely to be affected by revealing, even a bit, of their knowledge, a number of America's astronauts have let it be known that we are not alone in the universe. Several of these American heroes have stated that every space mission was observed either at a distance or close-up by alien craft. "Santa Claus" became the code word for the sighting of an unknown spacecraft so that the common citizens of Earth would not "panic" at the thought of superior technological entities being in our space. Even Neil Armstrong admitted that other huge vessels joined the first Earth vessel, Eagle One, while they were on the lunar surface.

Despite the sometimes obvious airbrushing of sections of the moon's surface in photographs taken by satellites and orbiting humans, it becomes a growing knowledge that our moon has been the home to an advanced alien race for a long time. Photographic evidence, especially taken from the far side of the moon has revealed geometric structures, artifacts, craft, and indications of a very long-term presence of some intelligence there. What appear to be circular transparent domes have been seen to glow with an internal light. People who have worked in and around NASA and the NSA have come forward with their stories of the insider knowledge of these bases.

There is even a series of popular video, taken during a Lunar Mission that was not supposed to have occurred, that shows we actually went back to take a close-up look at one of the ancient abandoned cities whose ruins are still standing. The skeptics say "there was no Apollo 20 flight" and it is true that NASA, the CIVILIAN SPACE PROGRAM, did not undertake this effort. However, at the end of NASA's moon missions at least two Saturn V rockets were already complete and others well into their construction. Florida is not the only place in the United States that rockets are launched. Among the many units assigned to the Vanderburg Air Force Base in California is the 30th Space Wing.

Military space launches are routine from Vandenburg as are rocket tests. It is rumored that the unused Saturn V rockets were taken there and the two missions to explore the alien ruins on the moon were launched with no publicity. The locals are used to rockets heading out from there and know better than to inquire as to the purpose. Anomalous activity on the lunar surface is not confined to the far side. Even amateur astronomers with backyard telescopes have often seen moving lights and other indications of activity on the moon. While the video from Apollo 20 is of an ancient ruin, there is rumor and indications that there are also more recent bases and mining facilities in evidence. As long as it seems some of these objects seem to have been in existence, it is no wonder they consider the moon at least to be theirs and, as Neil Armstrong put it, "the fact is, we were warned off! There was never any question then of a space station or a moon city."

Beyond a few subsequent, quick, lunar visits, humanity's journeys into space have been pretty well kept to our own planet's orbit. While unmanned robotic probes have been launched to the other planets, many have mysteriously quit working and others have seemingly been well guided to make sure nothing has been made public to "disturb" the Earth folk. But, if we have stayed out of the greater depths to our own solar system does this mean that an alien presence considers it their property and us indigenous creatures merely, as yet undomesticated, property on the planet we call home?

Despite the popular media habit of ridiculing those who have witnessed UFO's and then spoken up about it, there are some witnesses to these events that are deemed above reproach. Since the very beginning of the American space program's journeys above our Earth, our astronauts have been routine witnesses to these unidentified flying craft. In the words of Scott Carpenter, "At no time, when the astronauts were in space were they alone: there was a constant surveillance by UFOs."

Major Gordon Cooper was making a 22-orbit trip around the planet on May 15, 1963 in a Mercury space capsule when he reported a glowing greenish object approaching him. It was also picked up on the Muchea (Australia) tracking radar. Despite Cooper's mention of the UFO being broadcast on the NBC television network, reporters were warned not to ask about the event when he got back to Earth.

A few years later, June 1965, and astronauts Ed White and James McDivitt were sailing far above Hawaii in their Gemini capsule when they spotted a strange looking metallic object in orbit with them. Rather than a saucer shape, this UFO had a number of long "arms" sticking out from it. Despite taking photographs and motion pictures of the object, none of these images have been released for the public to see. Later that year, in December, James Lovell and Frank Borman were aboard Gemini 7 when they reported a bogey at 10 o'clock. Gemini Control asked if they were just seeing the booster rocket. Lovell replied that, "We have several actual sightings. We also have the booster in sight."

Since first being used by Walter Schirra on his Mercury 8 flight, the code name "Santa Claus" has been used to indicate to ground control when a UFO has been spotted tracking an Earth space capsule. This was to minimize public knowledge of just what was going on in the space above our planet when we ventured outward. Knowing this code helps remove the jauntiness of James Lovell's comment when he first came out from behind the moon on his Apollo 8 fly-around and greeted the world with the words, "Please be informed that there is a Santa Claus."

The ultimate close encounter with "Santa Claus" was to be experienced by Neil Armstrong and Edwin Aldrin made their historic moon landing in Apollo 11 in July of 1969. After reporting a "light" in or on the crater wall, Mission Control asked for more details and then the public broadcast from the astronauts was cut. Several ham radio operators with their own VHF receivers did record the following conversation, which was cut from the "official" broadcast.

NASA: "What’s there? Mission Control calling Apollo 11..."

Apollo 11: "These "Babies" are huge, Sir! Enormous! OH MY GOD! You wouldn't believe it! I'm telling you there are other spacecraft out there, Lined up on the far side of the crater edge! They're on the Moon watching us!"

If we cannot believe the words of our own spacefaring heroes about the reality of extraterrestrial life and spacecraft, whom then can we believe?

Probably one of the most famous UFO sightings was the one that made Jimmy Carter become known as the “UFO President.” In Leary, Georgia, 1969, two years before he would become Governor, Carter was getting ready to give a speech for the Lion’s Club meeting. At about 7:15 PM EST a guest called his attention to the western sky. Visible at about 30 degrees above the horizon was a strange object. In his description, Carter said that the object was as bright as the Moon. The object appeared to move closer, but stop just beyond some pine trees where it changed colors before moving back into the distance. Carter felt that the object was not solid and contained a self-luminescent quality. The witness count with him that night was about ten or twelve people.

Later, in 1973, Carter was asked by the IUFOB (International Unidentified Flying Object Bureau) of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, to file a report, which he did in 1973. The report is the topic of much heated debate and discussion, and has been discussed by mainstream media and Ufologists. Carter himself doubts that what he saw was an extraterrestrial craft.

Another famous incident is the Phoenix Lights, or lights over Phoenix. These lights also appeared over Nevada and Sonora, Mexico. The event began on March 13th, 1997 and there were repeated occurrences on February 6th, 2007 and April 21st, 2008. The April incident was a hoax; flares attached to helium balloons.

Between 7:30 PM and 11:30 PM MST, thousands of people reported seeing various lights in the sky in the space of about 300 miles. There were stationary lights seen in Phoenix as well as a triangular formation which passed over the state. The United States Air Force later identified the lights as testing flares dropped during training. The Governor at the time, Fife Symington, was a witness to the event.

On May 25th, 1995 a west-bound America West Boeing-757 passenger jet, identified as America West Flight 564, was flying over the panhandle of Texas when it encountered a UFO. This UFO had a row of white lights along its length which flashed from left to right. Their flying altitude was 39,000 feet and the lights seemed to be at about 30,000 feet. The pilot made contact with the Air Traffic Control Center in Albuquerque, New Mexico only to discover that there was supposedly nothing flying in that airspace.

As they moved past it, thunderclouds illuminated the object which seemed, by the pilots’ estimation, to be about 300-400 feet in length. It was not visible on the radar of the Air Traffic Control center but one of the controllers contacted NORAD and found that they had been investigating an incident which they determined to be a small plane with a faulty transponder. After checking the next day, they had discovered that NORAD had tracked another unknown target that was at first stationary and then made very quick movements which were clocked at about 1,000 and 1,400mph.

Here are just a few of the many documented incidents and reports of UFO sightings. Whether these reports are true or not, they are indeed mysterious.

Recently the Virgin boss, Sir Richard Branson has entered into an agreement with Mojave Aerospace Ventures, for around 14 million pounds which will see his company take passengers to the space, a Virgin space travel. Mojave Aerospace Ventures was setup by the Microsoft’s co –founder Paul Allen and aviation pioneer Burt Rutan. For this purpose, this British entrepreneur is having five space liners built by the expert team which made spaceship one. The California based space liner became the first privately developed carrier to go beyond 100 kilometers.

According to Richard Virgin space travel, it will cost you around one lakh pounds to go on a “Virgin Galactic” space liner and the first flight will began operating soon. He also says that if this project becomes a success, then he will soon also start orbital flights and even get a hotel up there.

This agreement allows Virgin to use Spaceship One technology. The space liner which is being built by Virgin will accommodate five passengers compared with the two passengers’ capacity offered by Spaceship One.

The vehicle will be well tested before beginning a scheduled space service. The space liner will take off from Mojave Desert which is near Los Angeles. Also the passengers will have to undergo a week’s training before they take off.

The virgin group is well known for its wide range of businesses like music, soft drinks, mobiles, holidays, cars, finance etc. However this business is completely different from the other normal ones. Thus it is more important for them to keep their reputation alive.

Virgin group also claims that its space technology, which releases a spaceship into the sun-orbit using a jet carrier aircraft, is much safer and is much environment friendly than conventional ground-launched rocket technology. Another difference is that, the parts of the space liner mainly consists of non metallic member and are light and hence require less power.

Virgin is not only the first private party which is trying to develop the concept of space travels in private sphere but also it will be the first to take passengers into space.

This space trip, which is being offered by Virgin, will be the most intense and wonderful experiences that people have ever had. Astronauts over the last many years have all returned to earth, struggling very hard to convey that enormity of what they had experienced and discovered. To be able to extend the privilege to ordinary people has been a long held ambition for Virgin, and is slowly becoming true. You won’t believe it, but till date around 200 tickets for “Virgin Galactic” are already sold.