Grasshopper Vertical Takeoff/Landing Test 1000ft With Top Down Drone View

The Grasshopper test vehicle is designed to advance the technologies needed to return a rocket back to Earth intact. While most booster rockets today are designed to fall back into the ocean or burn up in the atmosphere after use, SpaceX is designing rockets that will return to the launch pad for a vertical landing.

For this current flight, Grasshopper used a brand new sensor system and flight control algorithms, which resulted in a far more accurate landing than was possible before. Grasshopper flew to 325 meters (1066 feet) before smoothly landing back on its launch pad.

reply to post by canDarian


That was freaking awesome

That was pretty damned cool. To watch a rocket stop in mid take off come to a hover and then descend back down and land nearly perfectly. Was probably pretty cool to be the camera operator for that.

Totally reminds me of the rocket the villain uses in the James Bond flick You Only Live Twice.

That was very impressive.

That was pretty cool. Just imagine the technology that's available that the general public isn't allowed to see.

reply to post by canDarian


Great find, F&S for the OP!

I'm not sure if this actually belongs in the "Military Projects" forum because I think that SpaceX is a private company attempting to develop this technology outside the realm of government and/or military control. Just the same, it's really interesting technology and I thank you for posting the video.

Anyway, don't be surprised if the Mods move your thread to the "Science & Technology" forum. Not that it makes any difference.

On another note, I think that the technological feat viewed in the video is yet another clear demonstration of the huge advances being made with respect to "Feedback Control." I recently posted a thread on this subject that also included a video demonstrating what can be done via some of the recent advances with respect to computing, communicating and reacting to the feedback of information and doing so in milliseconds. While the video I posted is somewhat lengthier, it explains the evolution of the technology.

www.abovetopsecret.com...



Amazing stuff!

reply to post by Flatfish


They're under the NASA program for commercial space flight (they get money under the program for certain goals being met), and have recently signed contracts with the military to launch for them. They'll be launching the NASA DSCOVER satellite, and using their Falcon Heavy rocket that's under development to launch various satellites to show the Air Force it can do it.

These are the first contracts that weren't awarded to United Launch Alliance, and are a big step forward for commercial programs.

www.abovetopsecret.com...

Well then I say ATS search engine SUCKS lol

Kind of strange to develop this technology when the current view is smaller satellites launch via SSTO or some airborne asset to get it into orbit. Why even do this? Great find though! Hell of a video!

reply to post by boomer135


Because you don't get a runway on Mars. It's perfect for the moon, or Mars missions.

It is the 21st century and we still burn # in order to propel ourselves.
Yeah, pretty impressive indeed.

I for one am impressed that a very few men have the power to keep the entire human civilization in kindergarten forever by manipulating our fears and base desires.

Yeah, very impressive.

Originally posted by boomer135
Kind of strange to develop this technology when the current view is smaller satellites launch via SSTO or some airborne asset to get it into orbit. Why even do this? Great find though! Hell of a video!

SpaceX is actually a company NASA uses on occasion to shuttle supplies to the ISS,it's kind of in their interest to have a reusable system in place for costs.

On 25 May 2012, SpaceX made history as the world's first privately held company to send a cargo payload, carried on the Dragon spacecraft, to the International Space Station.

Falcon Heavy (FH), previously known as the Falcon 9 Heavy, is a spaceflight launch system being designed and manufactured by SpaceX. Both stages of the two-stage-to-orbit vehicle use liquid oxygen (LOX) and rocket-grade kerosene (RP-1) propellants, on a SpaceX-designed rocket engine, the Merlin 1D. Multiple variants are planned with payloads of 53,000 kilograms (120,000 lb) to low Earth orbit (LEO),and 12,000 kilograms (26,000 lb) to geostationary transfer orbit (GTO). The payload to LEO falls into the category that a classification system used by a NASA review panel for plans for human spaceflight calls the super heavy lift range of launch systems

If I'm not mistaken that's half the LEO of the Saturn IV,I can't find the TLI for the Falcon but I do know there is a proposal for a Lunar mission using this rocket.

Oh and the reason they are doing this,they will be using these rockets to establish a Human presence on Mars,at least that's the endgame.

only 20 more test flights until they can troubleshoot each and every problem with takeoff and landing. I really hope they try 20 times just to prevent loss of investor faith.

I just might put some money down if they try for 20 first.

If I had money of course.

reply to post by ManOfHart


Think they are way over the 20 test you want them to do

On a side note instead of making a new thread I'll just add this news here since it concerns SpaceX.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Space Exploration Technologies Corp. (SpaceX) appears to be the only company that put in a proposal to NASA to take over one of the space shuttle’s mothballed launch pads at the Kennedy Space Center (KSC) in Florida. NASA declined to comment on how many bids it received in response to a solicitation that closed on July 5, but a survey of U.S. launch companies by SpaceNews shows only SpaceX saying it put in a proposal to take over Launch Complex 39A. United Launch Alliance, which flies the Delta and Atlas rockets, and ATK, which has been developing a shuttle-derived launcher called Liberty, said they passed on the Pad 39A solicitation. Orbital Sciences Corp., which this year completed the first test flight of its new Antares rocket to fly cargo to the international space station, launches from Wallops Island, Va. Company spokesman Barry Beneski said he did not know of any plans to expand to Florida. Likewise passing is Space Florida, the state-backed economic development agency that has been selected to take over operations and develop the shuttle’s runway for commercial operations. NASA is looking for a commercial partner to lease Pad 39A, and intends to keep the second shuttle launch pad, 39B, for its heavy-lift Space Launch System. The design for 39B also would accommodate commercial users. California-based SpaceX already flies its Falcon 9 rockets from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, located just south of Kennedy Space Center, and is preparing for launch of its first rocket from a newly developed site at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California. The company has been on the hunt for a third site, preferably one that would be overseen by the Federal Aviation Administration, not NASA or the military. An environmental assessment of a potential site in Texas is under way. Documents posted on NASA’s solicitation website shows the agency wants to have a commercial operator for Pad 39A in place by Oct. 1, 2013, when funding for maintenance is slated for termination.

reply to post by canDarian


Hope they have everything down pat. One bad tilt and that rocket becomes very dangerous. It will be interesting watching this development.

Amazing, honestly in 50 years this will be caveman like tho lol. Need something new thats not a rocket or turbine engine!

Originally posted by pavil
reply to post by canDarian

 

Hope they have everything down pat. One bad tilt and that rocket becomes very dangerous. It will be interesting watching this development.

lol yes.

Latest test reached almost 2500 feet.