SpaceX has received the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) licence to re-enter a spacecraft from orbit.
SpaceX is planning to launch its Dragon spacecraft into low-Earth orbit aboard a Falcon 9 rocket next month.
The Dragon capsule will orbit the Earth at speeds of 17,000mph before re-entering the Earth’s atmosphere and landing in the Pacific Ocean a few hours later.
This will be the first flight under NASA’s Commercial Orbital Transportation Services programme to develop commercial supply services to the International Space Station.
