Grass_Hopper 1 flies to 325+ meters, plus it has a new navigation sensor (radar) for precision landings. Video from their Hexacopter mounted HD camera.
Grass_Hopper 1 has only a few more flights at McGregor Texas because of a 2500 ft altitude restriction. Higher flights will use Grass_Hopper 2, a new vehicle based on Falcon 9 v1.1, which will fly from SpacePort America in New Mexico. It will be cleared for development flights to 300,000+ ft.
The maiden flight of Falcon 9 v1.1, which is to be upgradable to the reusable F9-R, has it's maiden flight scheduled for September. After its lower stage separates it will attempt a water "landing" offshore from Vandenberg AFB in California. Later attempts will be on land using hw/sw developed using Grass_Hopper 2.
SpaceX recently posted an image of its new ltransporter-erector/tower. Pic bottom, with a full concept image with Falcon Heavy. V1.1 will form the core stage of Falcon Heavy, and it has also been doing a series of test firings.
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Grass_Hopper 1 has only a few more flights at McGregor Texas because of a 2500 ft altitude restriction. Higher flights will use Grass_Hopper 2, a new vehicle based on Falcon 9 v1.1, which will fly from SpacePort America in New Mexico. It will be cleared for development flights to 300,000+ ft.
The maiden flight of Falcon 9 v1.1, which is to be upgradable to the reusable F9-R, has it's maiden flight scheduled for September. After its lower stage separates it will attempt a water "landing" offshore from Vandenberg AFB in California. Later attempts will be on land using hw/sw developed using Grass_Hopper 2.
SpaceX recently posted an image of its new ltransporter-erector/tower. Pic bottom, with a full concept image with Falcon Heavy. V1.1 will form the core stage of Falcon Heavy, and it has also been doing a series of test firings.
On June 14, SpaceX's Gr****opper flew 325 m (1066 feet)--higher than Manhattan's Chrysler Building--before smoothly landing back on the pad. For the first time in this test, Gr****opper made use of its full navigation sensor suite with the F9-R closed loop control flight algorithms to accomplish a precision landing. Most rockets are equipped with sensors to determine position, but these sensors are generally not accurate enough to accomplish the type of precision landing necessary with Gr****opper.
Previous Gr****opper tests relied on the other rocket sensors but for this test, an additional, higher accuracy sensor was in the control loop. In other words, SpaceX was directly controlling the vehicle based on new sensor readings, adding a new level of accuracy in sensing the distance between Gr****opper and the ground, enabling a more precise landing.
Gr****opper is a 10-story Vertical Takeoff Vertical Landing (VTVL) vehicle designed to test the technologies needed to return a rocket back to Earth intact. While most rockets are designed to burn up on atmosphere reentry, SpaceX rockets are being designed not only to withstand reentry, but also to return to the launch pad for a vertical landing. The Gr****opper VTVL vehicle represents a critical step towards this goal.
Gr****opper consists of a Falcon 9 rocket first stage tank, Merlin 1D engine, four steel and aluminum landing legs with hydraulic dampers, and a steel support structure.
Previous Gr****opper tests relied on the other rocket sensors but for this test, an additional, higher accuracy sensor was in the control loop. In other words, SpaceX was directly controlling the vehicle based on new sensor readings, adding a new level of accuracy in sensing the distance between Gr****opper and the ground, enabling a more precise landing.
Gr****opper is a 10-story Vertical Takeoff Vertical Landing (VTVL) vehicle designed to test the technologies needed to return a rocket back to Earth intact. While most rockets are designed to burn up on atmosphere reentry, SpaceX rockets are being designed not only to withstand reentry, but also to return to the launch pad for a vertical landing. The Gr****opper VTVL vehicle represents a critical step towards this goal.
Gr****opper consists of a Falcon 9 rocket first stage tank, Merlin 1D engine, four steel and aluminum landing legs with hydraulic dampers, and a steel support structure.
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