OAK FOREST, Illinois USA — For the past several months, a group of seventh-graders at Hille Middle School in Oak Forest have concentrated on learning about rocket science - specifically space travel and the planet Mars.

CHARLOTTE, North Carolina USA — Yes, Kegan Beauchemin, Russ Kirkley and Charlie Ogino are rocket scientists.

GRAND FORKS, North Dakota USA — UND rocketeers took second place at the 2007-08 University Student Launch Initiative at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Ala.

HUNTSVILLE, Alabama USA — NASA announced Thursday that Utah State University won its college Student Launch Initiative competition held here April 19.

CLEVELAND, Ohio USA — FBI officials say a Continental Airlines pilot told air traffic controllers that an object with a flaming tail and a trail of smoke flew in front of the plane shortly after take-off.

SATELLITE BEACH, Florida USA — Thirty-two fifth-graders at Sea Park Elementary graduated with flying colors May 22 after completing Southwest Airline's Adopt-A-Pilot program.

Monday you may have not even heard that Flight 1544 flying from Houston to Cleveland was nearly hit by what numerous witnesses on the plane described as a cylinder shaped object with a long plume of thick smoke pouring out its back.

MANSFIELD, Washington USA — Ryan Buettner bolted from the worn wooden bleachers and went bounding over the sagebrush like a jackrabbit with a coyote on its tail.

HOUSTON, Texas USA — Shortly after takeoff yesterday morning, the pilot of Continental Flight 1544 reported seeing a rapidly moving object with a thick smoke trail closing in on his aircraft and shooting past his cockpit window.

HOUSTON, Texas USA — No hobby clubs had requested or been granted clearance to launch high-powered model rockets on Memorial Day when a Continental Airlines pilot reported seeing such an object zoom past his cockpit window, authorities said Tuesday.