FAA Issues First Space Vehicle Re-entry Certificate

When the Space X Dragon capsule re-enters the Earth’s atmosphere after its first (unmanned) flight next week, it will do so with the FAA’s blessing. Space Exploration Technologies Corp — known as SpaceX — is the first private entity to receive a license from the agency for its craft to re-enter the atmosphere. Next week’s flight will see the launch of the Dragon atop SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket. The mission is seen as a precursor to later manned commercial missions supporting the International Space Station. SpaceX will cooperate with NASA on those missions.