SpaceX's Grasshopper, the Amazing Reusable Rocket (Photos)

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SpaceX Grasshopper at 1,066 Feet: June 14, 2013

Credit: SpaceX

SpaceX's reusable Grasshopper reaches a new record height of just over 1,066 feet (325 meters) on June 14, 2013 during a test flight from its McGregor, Texas proving ground. This image is a still from a video recorded by an unmanned hexacopter drone. [Read the Full Story]

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SpaceX Grasshopper Test Flight: June 14, 2013

Credit: SpaceX

SpaceX's reusable Grasshopper rocket prototype rises skyward from its McGregor, Texas launch pad during a June 14, 2013 test flight that reached 1,066 feet (325 meters) before descending back to Earth. This still was taken from a video recorded by a small unmanned hexacopter. [Read the Full Story]

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SpaceX's Grasshopper Rocket Makes Test Flight in June 2013

Credit: SpaceX

This screenshot from a SpaceX video shows the company's prototype resuable rocket, dubbed "Grasshopper," rising into the Texas skies on June 14, 2013. Grasshopper reached a maximum altitude of 1,066 feet before returning safely to its launch pad. [Read the Full Story]

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SpaceX's Grasshopper on the Launch Pad

Credit: SpaceX

SpaceX's Grasshopper Vertical Takeoff Vertical Landing (VTVL) vehicle stands ready to launch on its 820-foot (250 meters) test flight on April 19, 2013.

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SpaceX's Grasshopper Takes Off on 820-Foot Flight

Credit: SpaceX

SpaceX's Grasshopper 10-story Vertical Takeoff Vertical Landing (VTVL) vehicle took off on its 820-foot (250 meters) test flight on April 19, 2013.

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paceX's Grasshopper 820-Foot Test Flight Hovering

Credit: SpaceX

SpaceX's Grasshopper 10-story Vertical Takeoff Vertical Landing (VTVL) vehicle reached new heights on April 19, 2013.

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SpaceX's Grasshopper 820-Foot Flight

Credit: SpaceX

SpaceX's Grasshopper vehicle flew 820 feet, tripling its March 7th leap. The rocket is seen here at the moment of landing, still in vertical attitude, with a ring of smoke and dust kicked up by the engines. Test conducted April 19, 2013.

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SpaceX's Grasshopper Rocket Makes Highest Leap Yet

Credit: SpaceX

SpaceX's reusable rocket prototype Grasshopper soared 820 feet (250 meters) into the air on April 19, 2013. A tiny "hexacopter" probe, which took footage of the flight, is visible as a black speck slightly above and to the left of the rocket in this picture.

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Mannequin Cowboy on SpaceX's Grasshopper Rocket

Credit: SpaceX

A mannequin cowboy dressed in black, nicknamed Johnny, rode SpaceX's Grasshopper reusable rocket during its highest ever test flight on March 7, 2013. The flight in Texas reached a height of 263 feet (80 meters).

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SpaceX Grasshopper Rocket's Highest Test: March 7, 2013

Credit: SpaceX

On March 7, 2013, SpaceX’s Grasshopper doubled its highest leap to date to rise 24 stories or 262.8 feet (80.1 meters), hovering for approximately 34 seconds and landing safely using closed loop thrust vector and throttle control.

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SpaceX's Grasshopper Lifts Off

Credit: SpaceX

On March 7, 2013, SpaceX’s Grasshopper doubled its highest leap to date to rise 24 stories or 262.8 feet (80.1 meters), hovering for approximately 34 seconds and landing safely using closed loop thrust vector and throttle control.

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SpaceX's Grasshopper Test Flight

Credit: SpaceX

On March 7, 2013, SpaceX’s Grasshopper doubled its highest leap to date to rise 24 stories or 262.8 feet (80.1 meters), hovering for approximately 34 seconds and landing safely using closed loop thrust vector and throttle control.

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SpaceX's Grasshopper: Dec. 17, 2012

Credit: SpaceX

The SpaceX Grasshopper rocket prototype vertically launched and landed in its most impressive test flight to date on Dec. 17.

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