Grasshopper Precision Flight
In this video of a June 14th test flight, published last week, the SpaceX Grasshopper makes an ascent to 1,066 feet, its highest point yet, and then comes back in for a precision landing utilizing a new set of sensors “adding a new level of accuracy in sensing the distance between Grasshopper and the ground, enabling a more precise landing.”
While the ongoing tests in Grasshopper tests in Texas suggest the company is getting better all the time at going “low and slow,” it should prove a fascinating experience to watch the progression of attempts to assert control over the first Falcon 9 V1.1 first stage after it has performed its primary function in each of the long line of operational flights beginning with the Cassiope launch scheduled for September.