Middle grade/ YA about a sick boy who likes space (also his friend dies)

So I read this book halfway a few years ago but never got to finish it. I believe it was written anywhere from 1998-2010, either middle grade or YA. It started out talking about how these 3 young kids are being tutored by this lady because they can't go to school since they're sick (with what I don't remember, might have been cancer?) but they use the internet a lot. I believe the main protagonist wants to go to space, and his friend dies in the hospital, but the main thing I remember is that his friend momentarily 'wakes up' smiles really wide at only him (not in like a horror way) , and then falls back and dies. Nobody would believe him if he said it happened so jealous never does. The title might include the characters name or something related to space.

#findthatbook

found it! Ways To Live Forever

Touchstone: Ways to Live Forever by Sally Nicholls