The man credited with the longest moon walk in history when he was a member of the much-lauded Apollo program in 1971, has called on the U.S. government to end its cover up concerning alien life.

Former Apollo astronaut Dr. Edgar Mitchell addressed the National Press Club on the subject earlier this week after attending a conference dedicated to the research of UFO existence.

"We are being visited," he told reporters. "It is now time to put away this embargo of truth about the alien presence. I call upon our government to open up... and become a part of this planetary community that is now trying to take our proper role as a spacefaring civilisation."