Tags: SpaceX, Grasshopper, Reusable rocket, Falcon 9
Publication: Phys.org
Publication Date: 11/05/2012

Click on the image to watch the video uploaded by Elon Musk of the Grasshopper taking its second, higher hop.

SpaceX‘s reusable vertical takeoff and landing rocket "Grasshopper" took its second test flight. This time, the 106-feet-tall rocket went up more than 6 feet and came back down, landing successfully.

The goal of this spacecraft is to improve SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket by creating a reusable first stage that would allow it to land vertically back on Earth instead of plopping into the ocean never to be used again.

The rocket has four steel landing legs and support structure, according to a 2011 FAA draft environmental impact assessment. Attached to the support structure, Carbon Overwrapped Pressure Vessels (COPVs) are filled with nitrogen or helium. The Grasshopper uses a Merlin-1D engine with a maximum thrust of 122,000 pounds and the propellants use highly refined kerosene fuel (RP-1) and liquid oxygen as the oxidizer.

The Grasshopper is expected to have three launch test phases. The first two require the rocket to rise at heights bellow controlled airspace, and the third phase demands the rocket to rise at a maximum of 11,500 feet.

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