Private spacefaring company SpaceX has outdone itself again, with yet another test of the Grasshopper vertical takeoff and landing rocket passing the bar set by the previous test.
This time around Grasshopper reached an elevation of 325 metres (1066 feet), hovering for a few minutes before touching down “smoothly” on its launch pad. The touchdown was made possible by a new navigation system, which provides additional information regarding the rocket’s position over the landing area.
The latest endeavour is a considerable advance over the initial 80 metre height reached by the Grasshopper in March this year.
