A number of mice and eight gerbils sent into space in a Russian capsule destined to find out how well organisms can withstand extended flights perished during their journey, scientists said Sunday as the month-long mission touched back down on Earth. Most of the 45 mice sent into orbit -- along with the gerbils and 15 newts -- died on the mission, which nevertheless returned with data that scientists hope will pave the way for a manned flight to Mars. The animals on board the Bion-M craft died because of equipment failure or due to the stresses of space, scientists said.

Japan plans to develop a large successor rocket to its current mainstay H-2A launch vehicle, government sources said Friday. The government's seven-member advisory body on space policy, called the Committee on National Space Policy, plans to make an official decision on the development of the new rocket by the end of this month, the sources said. If the plan is adopted, it would be the first document of a mainstay rocket since 1996 when Japan started development of the H-2A rocket.

MONTREAL - Canadian astronaut Chris Hadfield may have become a worldwide Internet sensation with his dramatic photos, tweets and musical performances from space. But it took some convincing by his two sons to persuade him of the importance of social media in the first place. His conversion began several years ago — long before Hadfield's mission to the International Space Station, which ended with great fanfare this week. He initially balked when his sons began preaching the merits of Twitter and Facebook more than three years ago.

KOFORIDUA, Ghana - Their goal might not sound like much: The college students plan Wednesday to launch a tiny model of a satellite the size of a Coke can a mere 200 yards (meters) into the air. Yet in this developing West African country that recently launched the Ghana Space Science and Technology Center, ambitious organizers hope it's a sign of things to come.