Story by
Jon Russell
Jon Russell was Asia Editor for The Next Web from 2011 to 2014. Originally from the UK, he lives in Bangkok, Thailand. You can find him on T Jon Russell was Asia Editor for The Next Web from 2011 to 2014. Originally from the UK, he lives in Bangkok, Thailand. You can find him on Twitter, Angel List, LinkedIn.
Grasshopper, the reusable prototype rocket from SpaceX, reached a record high — quite literally — after it rose to 744 meters (2,441 feet) during an October 7 test flight, before returning to land back on its launchpad unscathed.
We’re impressed, as ever:
The 100-foot (10-story) rocket is a prototype that SpaceX hopes could eventually lead to rockets being able to re-enter the earth’s atmosphere in one piece and return to land vertically. That could provide significant cost savings, not to mention cutting wastage and environmental issues.
The rocket is developing at good speed — literally and figuratively. Its recent tests have included a flight in July, which saw it rise to 1,066 feet (325 meters) before landing, while it conquered a 130 feet trip back in December 2012 — both of those trips look small compared to its latest flight.
Thumbnail image via Steve Jurvetson / Flickr
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