NASA has said it will allow SpaceX to take its astronauts into orbit on reused spaceships - something the US space agency had not previously permitted.

This could be a big step for SpaceX, given that reusability is one of the key steps behind the firm’s mission to bring down the eye-watering costs of space travel.

The news follows a modification to NASA’s $2.7 billion commercial crew contract that it made with SpaceX back in 2014.

We have recently seen NASA take huge strides towards fulfilling their goals as a space agency that is acting on behalf of the world's largest economy.