Video from nasa.gov

Yesterday for the first time ever, a privately owned space craft entered a low orbit around the earth for about 3 hours and then landed safely. Other companies have put space craft into orbit, but their inability to land safely made it impractical for them to carry passengers or cargo. SpaceX's Dragon is expected to replace NASA's space shuttle which will be retired in 2011. The Dragon can carry seven crew members or about 650 cubic feet of cargo. Early next year, the Dragon will have several more launches, which will test its ability to communicate and maneuver around the International Space Station.

To learn more about SpaceX, click here.