Hmmm... How about checking this tutorial out: http://www.flashmagazine.com/Tutorials/detail/away3d_basics_4_-_manipulating_3d_objects/
Under the title "Grouping objects together", you can find more info and an example about ObjectContainer3D. But just to re-iterate: 1. create the earth 2. create an ObjectContainer3D 3. create a button (any kind of object) 4. use the addChild method to add the button to the ObjectContainer3D 5. move the button along the z axis (a little further than the radius of the earth) 6. rotate the ObjectContainer3D to position the button 7. add event listener to button J
