Plans are progressing to have a torch for next year's Olympics make it into Earth orbit with a Japanese astronaut aboard the International Space Station, official sources said Friday.Japan's Soichi Noguchi is expected to begin a mission aboard the space station at the end of this year, while compatriot Akihiko Hoshide is slated to travel to the station next May, and officials hope to enlist them in the project. Although the torch will be unlit for safety reasons, the Olympic space mission will seek to increase the games' publicity reach.According to knowledgeable officials, the space statio…READ FULL ARTICLE
