This Day in History: December 8

(WKYT) - In the lead-up to America turning 250 years old, we are looking back every day at ‘This Day In History.’

On this date in 2010, space history was made by a private company.

SpaceX became the first privately held company to successfully launch, orbit and recover a spacecraft with their capsule named Dragon.

A few months later, Dragon became the first commercial vehicle to visit the International Space Station under a key NASA partnership.

Dragon’s 45 missions have since delivered supplies, research, and astronauts, expanding humanity’s reach in orbit.