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<h2 id="history">History</h2> <p><i>Grasshopper</i> first became known publicly in the third quarter of 2011, when space journalists first wrote about it after analyzing space launch regulations of the <a href="/facts/Federal_Aviation_Administration/PYsXt3YT">Federal Aviation Administration</a>.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:6" href="#fn:6"><sup>6</sup></a> </p><p>Shortly thereafter, SpaceX confirmed the existence of the test vehicle development program, and projected it would begin the <i>Grasshopper</i> flight test program in 2012.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:7" href="#fn:7"><sup>7</sup></a><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:8" href="#fn:8"><sup>8</sup></a> </p><p>Releases of public information in 2011 indicated that the subsonic tests would occur in <a href="/facts/McGregor%2c_Texas/SWJLVho0">McGregor, Texas</a> in three phases, at maximum flight altitudes of 670 to 11,500 ft (200 to 3,510 m), for durations of 45 to 160 s (0.75 to 2.67 min). At the time, testing was expected to take up to three years and the initial <a href="/facts/FAA/PYsXt3YT">FAA</a> permit allows up to 70 suborbital launches per year.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:9" href="#fn:9"><sup>9</sup></a><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:10" href="#fn:10"><sup>10</sup></a> A half-acre concrete launch facility was constructed to support the test flight program.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:11" href="#fn:11"><sup>11</sup></a> In September 2012, SpaceX announced that they have requested FAA approval to increase the altitude of some of the initial test flights.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:12" href="#fn:12"><sup>12</sup></a> Looking forward to the next year, CEO Musk said in November 2012: "Over the next few months, we'll gradually increase the altitude and speed. ... I do think there probably will be some craters along the way; we'll be very lucky if there are no craters. Vertical landing is an extremely important breakthrough — extreme, rapid reusability."<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:13" href="#fn:13"><sup>13</sup></a> </p><p>In May 2013, SpaceX announced that the higher-altitude, higher-velocity part of the <i>Grasshopper</i> flight test program would be done at <a href="/facts/Spaceport_America/sLWgIGvh">Spaceport America</a> near <a href="/facts/Las_Cruces%2c_New_Mexico/0lGd629J">Las Cruces, New Mexico</a>—and not at the <a href="/facts/Federal_Government_of_the_United_States/VJCxUaf7">Federal Government's</a> adjacent <a href="/facts/White_Sands_Missile_Range/JUsgxDjF">White Sands Missile Range</a> facility as previously planned<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:14" href="#fn:14"><sup>14</sup></a><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:15" href="#fn:15"><sup>15</sup></a><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:16" href="#fn:16"><sup>16</sup></a><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:17" href="#fn:17"><sup>17</sup></a>—and signed a three-year lease for land and facilities at the recently operational spaceport.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:18" href="#fn:18"><sup>18</sup></a> SpaceX indicated in May 2013 that they did not yet know how many jobs might move from Texas to New Mexico.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:19" href="#fn:19"><sup>19</sup></a> </p><p>SpaceX began constructing a 30 m × 30 m (98 ft × 98 ft) pad at <a href="/facts/Spaceport_America/sLWgIGvh">Spaceport America</a> in May 2013, 7 km (4.3 mi) southwest of the spaceport's main campus, planning to lease the pad for US$6,600 per month plus US$25,000 per test flight.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:20" href="#fn:20"><sup>20</sup></a> </p> <h2 id="description">Description</h2> <h3>Grasshopper</h3> <p><i>Grasshopper</i> consisted of "a <a href="/facts/Falcon_9_v1.0/Y1XbcEsn">Falcon 9</a> [v1.0] first-stage tank, a single <a href="/facts/Merlin_1D/95qreG8R">Merlin-1D</a> engine" with a height of 32 m (106 ft).<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:21" href="#fn:21"><sup>21</sup></a> The landing gear was fixed. </p><p>As Elon Musk stated, <i>Grasshopper</i> could land on Earth with the accuracy of a <a href="/facts/Helicopter/chQF7H55">helicopter</a>.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:22" href="#fn:22"><sup>22</sup></a> </p> <h3>F9R Dev1</h3> <p>F9R Dev1 was constructed out of the used first-stage tank of the <a href="/facts/Falcon_9_v1.1/2fd9FJJQ">Falcon 9 v1.1</a>,<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:23" href="#fn:23"><sup>23</sup></a> it was 160-foot tall,<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:24" href="#fn:24"><sup>24</sup></a> nearly 50% longer than the first Grasshopper.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:25" href="#fn:25"><sup>25</sup></a> The landing legs were retractable by design, with a telescoping piston mounted on an A-frame. The total span of the four legs was approximately 18 m (60 ft) and the weight less than 2,100 kg (4,600 lb); the deployment system used high-pressure <a href="/facts/Helium/yRul93TG">helium</a>.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:26" href="#fn:26"><sup>26</sup></a> The legs had less weight than on the first Grasshopper. The F9R Dev1 had a different engine bay than the first Grasshopper vehicle.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:27" href="#fn:27"><sup>27</sup></a> </p><p>The F9R Dev1 vehicle in Texas was intended to take off and accelerate with three engines—as the test flight never needs the full thrust to take off a fully loaded Falcon 9 with an orbital payload—while completing the descent and landing with only one engine.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:28" href="#fn:28"><sup>28</sup></a> The original Grasshopper had flown exclusively with only a single Merlin 1D engine in place, the center engine which is now used to complete the last phase of the deceleration and <a href="/facts/VTVL/wqg2WnRq">vertical landing</a> on full-scale Falcon 9 rockets. </p> <h3>F9R Dev2 (never flown)</h3> <p>A third flight test vehicle—F9R Dev2—was initially planned to be flown only at the high-altitude test range at Spaceport America<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:29" href="#fn:29"><sup>29</sup></a><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:30" href="#fn:30"><sup>30</sup></a> and at altitudes of up to 91,000 meters (300,000 ft).<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:31" href="#fn:31"><sup>31</sup></a><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:32" href="#fn:32"><sup>32</sup></a><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:33" href="#fn:33"><sup>33</sup></a> In September 2014, following the destruction of the F9R Dev1, SpaceX changed the plans, so the F9R Dev2 vehicle would fly first in McGregor for low-altitude testing. The initial <a href="/facts/Federal_Aviation_Administration/PYsXt3YT">FAA</a> permit to fly the Falcon 9 Reusable Development Vehicle at McGregor in Texas was open until February 2015.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:34" href="#fn:34"><sup>34</sup></a> </p><p>On 19 February 2015 SpaceX announced that the F9R Dev2 would be discontinued.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:35" href="#fn:35"><sup>35</sup></a> </p><p>During April 2015, SpaceX performed tanking tests on the <a href="/facts/Dragon_V2/Wy8kUegK">In-Flight Abort</a> rocket on the <a href="/facts/Vandenberg_Air_Force_Base/CHNed3F4">Vandenberg Air Force Base</a> <a href="/facts/Vandenberg_AFB_Space_Launch_Complex_4/JVoP1fwD">SLC-4E</a>. Since this rocket only had three Merlin 1D engines, and the New Mexico site was to have been used for testing the returned first stages, it was speculated that the discontinued F9R Dev2 was re-purposed as the launch vehicle in the <a href="/facts/Dragon_V2/Wy8kUegK">In-Flight Abort Test.</a><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:36" href="#fn:36"><sup>36</sup></a> </p><p>In May 2015, a press article stated that due to the technical success of many aspects of the booster rocket landing attempts on the sea and on the <a href="/facts/Autonomous_spaceport_drone_ship/yI2SR495">ASDS</a>, SpaceX was planning on using the New Mexico site for testing the returned stages.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:37" href="#fn:37"><sup>37</sup></a><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:38" href="#fn:38"><sup>38</sup></a> </p> <h2 id="flight-testing">Flight testing</h2> <h3><i>Grasshopper</i> flight tests</h3> <p>The first Falcon 9 prototype, <i>Grasshopper</i>, made a total of eight <a href="/facts/Flight_test/uyrUsN4M">test flights</a> between September 2012 and October 2013.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:39" href="#fn:39"><sup>39</sup></a> All eight flights were from the <a href="/facts/SpaceX_McGregor/xYvuGgnY">McGregor</a>, <a href="/facts/McGregor%2c_Texas/SWJLVho0">Texas</a> test facility. </p><p><i>Grasshopper</i> began flight testing in September 2012 with a brief, three-second hop, followed by a second hop in November 2012 with an 8-second flight that took the testbed approximately 5.4 m (18 ft) off the ground, and a third flight in December 2012 of 29 seconds duration, with extended hover under rocket engine power, in which it ascended to an altitude of 40 m (130 ft) before descending under rocket power to come to a successful vertical landing.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:40" href="#fn:40"><sup>40</sup></a> <i>Grasshopper</i> made its eighth, and final, test flight on October 7, 2013, flying to an altitude of 744 m (2,441 ft) before making its eighth successful <a href="/facts/VTVL/wqg2WnRq">vertical landing</a>.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:41" href="#fn:41"><sup>41</sup></a> The Grasshopper test vehicle is now retired.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:42" href="#fn:42"><sup>42</sup></a> </p><p>Flight tests at the Texas facility were limited to a maximum altitude of 2,500 ft (760 m) by the initial <a href="/facts/FAA/PYsXt3YT">FAA</a> <a href="/facts/Regulatory_agency/VXSrsDSM">regulatory</a> permit.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:43" href="#fn:43"><sup>43</sup></a> </p> <table><tbody><tr><th>#</th><th>Date (y-m-d)</th><th>Highest altitude</th><th>Duration</th><th>Video</th><th>Remarks</th></tr><tr><td>1</td><td>2012-09-21<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:44" href="#fn:44"><sup>44</sup></a></td><td>1.8 m (6 ft)<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:45" href="#fn:45"><sup>45</sup></a></td><td>3s<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:46" href="#fn:46"><sup>46</sup></a></td><td><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:47" href="#fn:47"><sup>47</sup></a></td><td>A "brief hop"<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:48" href="#fn:48"><sup>48</sup></a> with a near-empty tank.</td></tr><tr><td>2</td><td>2012-11-01<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:49" href="#fn:49"><sup>49</sup></a></td><td>5.4 m (17.7 ft)<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:50" href="#fn:50"><sup>50</sup></a></td><td>8s<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:51" href="#fn:51"><sup>51</sup></a></td><td><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:52" href="#fn:52"><sup>52</sup></a></td><td></td></tr><tr><td>3</td><td>2012-12-17<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:53" href="#fn:53"><sup>53</sup></a></td><td>40 m (131 ft)<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:54" href="#fn:54"><sup>54</sup></a></td><td>29s<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:55" href="#fn:55"><sup>55</sup></a></td><td><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:56" href="#fn:56"><sup>56</sup></a></td><td>First flight to include the cowboy mannequin</td></tr><tr><td>4</td><td>2013-03-07<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:57" href="#fn:57"><sup>57</sup></a></td><td>80 m (262 ft)<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:58" href="#fn:58"><sup>58</sup></a></td><td>34s<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:59" href="#fn:59"><sup>59</sup></a></td><td><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:60" href="#fn:60"><sup>60</sup></a></td><td>Touchdown thrust-to-weight ratio greater than one<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:61" href="#fn:61"><sup>61</sup></a></td></tr><tr><td>5</td><td>2013-04-17<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:62" href="#fn:62"><sup>62</sup></a></td><td>250 m (820 ft)<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:63" href="#fn:63"><sup>63</sup></a></td><td>58s</td><td><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:64" href="#fn:64"><sup>64</sup></a></td><td>Demonstrated ability to maintain stability in wind<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:65" href="#fn:65"><sup>65</sup></a></td></tr><tr><td>6</td><td>2013-06-14<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:66" href="#fn:66"><sup>66</sup></a></td><td>325 m (1,070 ft)<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:67" href="#fn:67"><sup>67</sup></a></td><td>68s<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:68" href="#fn:68"><sup>68</sup></a></td><td><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:69" href="#fn:69"><sup>69</sup></a></td><td>New navigation sensor suite tested; needed on the <a href="/facts/F9-R/mNck6vby">F9-R</a> for precision landing<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:70" href="#fn:70"><sup>70</sup></a></td></tr><tr><td>7</td><td>2013-08-13<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:71" href="#fn:71"><sup>71</sup></a></td><td>250 m (820 ft)<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:72" href="#fn:72"><sup>72</sup></a></td><td>60s</td><td><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:73" href="#fn:73"><sup>73</sup></a></td><td><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2t15vP1PyoA">Successfully completed a "divert test"</a> performing 100 m (330 ft) lateral maneuver before returning to the pad.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:74" href="#fn:74"><sup>74</sup></a></td></tr><tr><td>8</td><td>2013-10-07<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:75" href="#fn:75"><sup>75</sup></a></td><td>744 m (2,440 ft)<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:76" href="#fn:76"><sup>76</sup></a></td><td>79s<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:77" href="#fn:77"><sup>77</sup></a></td><td><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:78" href="#fn:78"><sup>78</sup></a></td><td>Final flight of Grasshopper. Vehicle retired after the flight.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:79" href="#fn:79"><sup>79</sup></a></td></tr></tbody></table> <p>From the announcement in 2011 until 2014, SpaceX has achieved each of the schedule milestones that they publicly announced. SpaceX said in February 2012 that they were planning several vertical-takeoff, vertical-landing (VTVL) test flights during 2012,<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:80" href="#fn:80"><sup>80</sup></a> and confirmed in June 2012 that they continued to plan to make the first test flight within the next couple of months.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:81" href="#fn:81"><sup>81</sup></a> </p> <h3>F9R Dev1 flight tests</h3> <p>The Falcon 9 Reusable Development Vehicle, or <i>F9R Dev</i>, was announced in October 2012. F9R Dev1 was initially named, since late 2012 until early 2014, as Grasshopper v1.1.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:82" href="#fn:82"><sup>82</sup></a><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:83" href="#fn:83"><sup>83</sup></a> In March 2013 Musk said that SpaceX hoped to reach <a href="/facts/Hypersonic/QUsQbhur">hypersonic</a> speed before the end of 2013.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:84" href="#fn:84"><sup>84</sup></a> In March 2013, it was announced that the second Grasshopper-class suborbital flight vehicle would be constructed out of the Falcon 9 v1.1 first-stage tank that had been used for <a href="/facts/Qualification_testing/2We8HTGs">qualification testing</a> in Texas at the <a href="/facts/SpaceX_Rocket_Development_and_Test_Facility/xYvuGgnY">SpaceX Rocket Development and Test Facility</a> prior to March.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:85" href="#fn:85"><sup>85</sup></a> </p><p>In 2014, the <a href="/facts/FAA/PYsXt3YT">FAA</a> permit was increased to 10,000 ft (3,000 m) for the F9R Dev testing at McGregor,<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:86" href="#fn:86"><sup>86</sup></a> when the first Grasshopper was limited to an altitude of 2,500 ft (760 m). </p><p>The F9R Dev1 was built on the much longer <a href="/facts/Falcon_9_v1.1/2fd9FJJQ">Falcon 9 v1.1</a> first stage tanks, and with retractable <a href="/facts/Launch_vehicle_landing_gear/MGt7HeAf">landing legs</a>. </p><p>SpaceX performed a short-duration ground test (static test) of F9R Dev1 on March 28, 2014, at their McGregor, Texas test site,<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:87" href="#fn:87"><sup>87</sup></a> and made their maiden test flight of the new vehicle, to an altitude of 250 meters (820 ft), on April 17, 2014.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:88" href="#fn:88"><sup>88</sup></a><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:89" href="#fn:89"><sup>89</sup></a> The F9R Dev1 flew for the fifth and last time on August 22, 2014.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:90" href="#fn:90"><sup>90</sup></a><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:91" href="#fn:91"><sup>91</sup></a> During this flight, anomalous sensor data from the vehicle during its ascent caused the rocket to deviate from nominal flight trajectory, prompting its <a href="/facts/Flight_termination_system/gRaLMqaj">flight termination system</a> to end the mission by neutralizing the vehicle. No injuries or near-injuries were reported following the breakup of F9R Dev1 and an FAA representative was present during the test. Video from the accident was released by CBS and multiple images from the accident were posted on social media.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:92" href="#fn:92"><sup>92</sup></a><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:93" href="#fn:93"><sup>93</sup></a> </p> <table><tbody><tr><th>Test #</th><th>Date (year-month-day)</th><th>Test vehicle</th><th>Location</th><th>Highest altitude</th><th>Video</th><th>Remarks</th></tr><tr><td>1</td><td>2014-04-17<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:94" href="#fn:94"><sup>94</sup></a></td><td>F9R Dev1</td><td><a href="/facts/McGregor_Rocket_Test_Facility/xYvuGgnY">McGregor</a></td><td>250 m (820 ft)<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:95" href="#fn:95"><sup>95</sup></a></td><td><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:96" href="#fn:96"><sup>96</sup></a></td><td>Hovered, moved sideways, landed successfully.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:97" href="#fn:97"><sup>97</sup></a></td></tr><tr><td>2</td><td>2014-05-01<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:98" href="#fn:98"><sup>98</sup></a></td><td>F9R Dev1</td><td>McGregor</td><td>1,000 m (3,280 ft)<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:99" href="#fn:99"><sup>99</sup></a></td><td><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:100" href="#fn:100"><sup>100</sup></a></td><td>Hovered, moved sideways, landed.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:101" href="#fn:101"><sup>101</sup></a></td></tr><tr><td>3</td><td>2014-06-17</td><td>F9R Dev1</td><td>McGregor</td><td>1,000 m (3,280 ft)<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:102" href="#fn:102"><sup>102</sup></a></td><td><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:103" href="#fn:103"><sup>103</sup></a></td><td>First test flight with steerable <a href="/facts/Grid_fins/CesBMrj0">grid fins</a>.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:104" href="#fn:104"><sup>104</sup></a></td></tr><tr><td>4</td><td>2014-08-01<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:105" href="#fn:105"><sup>105</sup></a></td><td>F9R Dev1</td><td>McGregor</td><td></td><td></td><td>No public information was provided by SpaceX about this flight.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:106" href="#fn:106"><sup>106</sup></a></td></tr><tr><td>5</td><td>2014-08-22<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:107" href="#fn:107"><sup>107</sup></a></td><td>F9R Dev1</td><td>McGregor</td><td></td><td><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:108" href="#fn:108"><sup>108</sup></a><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:109" href="#fn:109"><sup>109</sup></a></td><td>Vehicle was destroyed following a flight anomaly that began to take F9R Dev1 off of its planned flight path. No injuries.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:110" href="#fn:110"><sup>110</sup></a><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:111" href="#fn:111"><sup>111</sup></a> A blocked sensor was the cause of the anomaly. The sensor had no backup in the prototype F9R Dev vehicle but flight-rated <a href="/facts/Falcon_9_v1.1/2fd9FJJQ">Falcon 9</a> rockets do have a redundant backup.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:112" href="#fn:112"><sup>112</sup></a> First activation of an <a href="/facts/Autonomous_flight_termination_system/gRaLMqaj">autonomous flight termination system</a> on a US rocket.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:113" href="#fn:113"><sup>113</sup></a></td></tr></tbody></table> <h2 id="falcon-9-post-mission-landing-tests">Falcon 9 post-mission landing tests</h2> <p class="note">Main article: <a href="/facts/Falcon_9_first-stage_landing_tests/rtYrXAhS">Falcon 9 first-stage landing tests</a></p> <p>In 2013, SpaceX moved to using their mainstream Falcon 9 vehicles for VTVL testing, in addition to their existing tests with flying test vehicles. In March 2013, SpaceX announced that, beginning with the first flight of the stretch version of the <a href="/facts/Falcon_9/mNck6vby">Falcon 9</a> launch vehicle—the sixth flight overall of Falcon 9 (then anticipated for summer 2013), every <a href="/facts/First_stage_(rocketry)/WNrmgztj">first stage</a> would be instrumented and equipped as a controlled descent test vehicle.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:114" href="#fn:114"><sup>114</sup></a> SpaceX attempted numerous over-water landings, both over the sea, resulting in soft landings into the water, and onto specialized <a href="/facts/Autonomous_Spaceport_Drone_Ship/yI2SR495">Autonomous Spaceport Drone Ships</a>, barges modified to be landing platforms. None were completely successful. </p><p>SpaceX eventually succeeded in landing a production vertical-landing rocket on land in late 2015. The first attempt to land the first stage of the Falcon 9 on land, near its launch site, occurred on <a href="/facts/Falcon_9_Flight_20/9PTDkvv7">Falcon 9 Flight 20</a>, on 21 December 2015. The landing was successful, and the first stage of the <a href="/facts/Falcon_9_Full_Thrust/L5HWctap">Falcon 9 Full Thrust</a> vehicle was recovered.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:115" href="#fn:115"><sup>115</sup></a><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:116" href="#fn:116"><sup>116</sup></a><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:117" href="#fn:117"><sup>117</sup></a> By May 27, 2016, SpaceX had successfully completed three first-stage landings on a <a href="/facts/Autonomous_spaceport_drone_ship/yI2SR495">drone ship</a> at sea.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:118" href="#fn:118"><sup>118</sup></a> </p> <h2 id="see-also">See also</h2> <ul> <li>Spaceflight portal</li></ul> <ul><li><a href="/facts/SpaceX_launch_vehicles/RF4Ylp7q">SpaceX launch vehicles</a> – Launch vehicles developed and operated by SpaceX</li> <li><a href="/facts/List_of_Falcon_9_first-stage_boosters/uIA83cHY">List of Falcon 9 first-stage boosters</a></li> <li><a href="/facts/Kankoh-maru/gAasbuW9">Kankoh-maru</a> – Japanese orbital vehicle design</li> <li><a href="/facts/McDonnell_Douglas_DC-X/Eka8jVUS">McDonnell Douglas DC-X</a> – Prototype single-stage-to-orbit rocket developed & flown between 1991-1996</li> <li><a href="/facts/New_Shepard/QpzbYepM">New Shepard</a> – Rocket developed by Blue Origin</li> <li><a href="/facts/Quad_(rocket)/0YY53DgL">Quad (rocket)</a> – VTVL technology demonstrator</li> <li><a href="/facts/Reusable_Vehicle_Testing/9QTJsUF4">Reusable Vehicle Testing</a> – Japanese reusable rocket testing project</li> <li><a href="/facts/SpaceX_reusable_launch_system_development_program/kuah4fl8">SpaceX reusable launch system development program</a> – Effort by SpaceX to make rockets that can fly multiple times</li></ul> <h2 id="external-links">External links</h2> Wikimedia Commons has media related to Grasshopper (rocket). Wikinews has related news: <ul><li>SpaceX test rocket crashes in Texas</li></ul> <ul><li>Collected videos <ul><li><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pzXlUw2WhcE">Video of 1st test launch</a>, 21 September 2012</li> <li><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n-VjaBSSnqs">Video of 2nd test launch</a>, 1 November 2012</li> <li><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B4PEXLODw9c">Video of 3rd test launch H=40m</a>, 17 December 2012</li> <li><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Ivr6JF1K-8">Video of 4th test launch H=80m</a>, 8 March 2013</li> <li><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NoxiK7K28PU">Video of 5th test launch H=250m</a>, 17 April 2013</li> <li><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eGimzB5QM1M">Video of 6th test launch H=325m</a>, 14 June 2013</li> <li><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2t15vP1PyoA">Video of 7th test launch H=250m L=100m</a>, 13 August 2013</li> <li><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ZDkItO-0a4">Video of 8th test launch H=744m</a>, 7 October 2013. Final Grasshopper test flight.</li> <li><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0UjWqQPWmsY">Video of 9th test launch H=250m</a>, 17 April 2014. First <a href="/facts/F9R_Dev1/34M7FDsE">F9R Dev1</a> test flight.</li> <li><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZwwS4YOTbbw">Video of 10th test launch H=1000m</a>, 1 May 2014</li> <li><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Qv2VEX9iyI">Video of 13th test launch</a>, 22 August 2014. Final flight of <i>F9R Dev1</i> as vehicle was destroyed after an anomaly occurred during the test flight.</li> <li><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IPgyb6euISs&t=58m5s">Steve Jurvetson personal comments on the destruction of F9R Dev1</a>, 23 September 2014, SPARK 2014 Keynote address, @58:05. Jurvetson is a SpaceX board member and was present for the flight test on 22 August 2014.</li></ul></li></ul> <h2 id="references">References</h2> <ol> <li id="fn:1"><p>Mohney, Doug (2011-09-26). "SpaceX Plans to Test Reusable Suborbital VTVL Rocket in Texas". Satellite Spotlight. Archived from the original on 2016-08-04. Retrieved 2012-12-30. <a href="http://satellite.tmcnet.com/topics/satellite/articles/222324-spacex-plans-test-reusable-suborbital-vtvl-rocket-texas.htm" target="_blank">http://satellite.tmcnet.com/topics/satellite/articles/222324-spacex-plans-test-reusable-suborbital-vtvl-rocket-texas.htm</a> <a href="#fnref:1" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:2"><p>Shotwell, Gwynne (June 4, 2014). Discussion with Gwynne Shotwell, President and COO, SpaceX. Atlantic Council. Event occurs at 22:35–26:20. Archived from the original on January 25, 2017. Retrieved June 9, 2014. This technology element [reusable launch vehicle technology] all this innovation is being done by SpaceX alone, no one is paying us to do it. The government is very interested in the data we are collecting on this test series. ... This is the kind of thing that entrepreneurial investment and new entrants/innovators can do for an industry: fund their own improvements, both in the quality of their programs and the quality of their hardware, and the speed and cadence of their operations. <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sYocHwhfFDc" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sYocHwhfFDc</a> <a href="#fnref:2" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:3"><p>Simberg, Rand (2012-02-08). "Elon Musk on SpaceX's Reusable Rocket Plans". Popular Mechanics. Archived from the original on 2012-02-11. Retrieved 2012-02-07. <a href="http://www.popularmechanics.com/science/space/rockets/elon-musk-on-spacexs-reusable-rocket-plans-6653023" target="_blank">http://www.popularmechanics.com/science/space/rockets/elon-musk-on-spacexs-reusable-rocket-plans-6653023</a> <a href="#fnref:3" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:4"><p>Lindsey, Clark (2011-10-12). "Grasshopper news". RLV and Space Transport News. Archived from the original on 2011-11-18. Retrieved 2011-11-23."SpaceX - F9R Development Updates". Spaceflight101. Archived from the original on 10 October 2018. Retrieved 9 October 2018. <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20111118200035/http://hobbyspace.com/nucleus/index.php?itemid=33072" target="_blank">https://web.archive.org/web/20111118200035/http://hobbyspace.com/nucleus/index.php?itemid=33072</a> <a href="#fnref:4" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:5"><p>Musk, Elon [@elonmusk] (23 August 2014). "Three engine F9R Dev1 vehicle auto-terminated during test flight. No injuries or near injuries. Rockets are tricky …" (Tweet). Archived from the original on 28 March 2023. Retrieved 17 April 2023 – via Twitter.How Not to Land an Orbital Rocket Booster, 14 September 2017, retrieved 2023-05-07 <a href="/wiki/Elon_Musk" target="_blank">/wiki/Elon_Musk</a> <a href="#fnref:5" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:6"><p>Mohney, Doug (2011-09-26). "SpaceX Plans to Test Reusable Suborbital VTVL Rocket in Texas". Satellite Spotlight. Archived from the original on 2016-08-04. Retrieved 2012-12-30. <a href="http://satellite.tmcnet.com/topics/satellite/articles/222324-spacex-plans-test-reusable-suborbital-vtvl-rocket-texas.htm" target="_blank">http://satellite.tmcnet.com/topics/satellite/articles/222324-spacex-plans-test-reusable-suborbital-vtvl-rocket-texas.htm</a> <a href="#fnref:6" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:7"><p>Lindsey, Clark (2011-10-12). "Grasshopper news". RLV and Space Transport News. Archived from the original on 2011-11-18. Retrieved 2011-11-23."SpaceX - F9R Development Updates". Spaceflight101. Archived from the original on 10 October 2018. Retrieved 9 October 2018. <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20111118200035/http://hobbyspace.com/nucleus/index.php?itemid=33072" target="_blank">https://web.archive.org/web/20111118200035/http://hobbyspace.com/nucleus/index.php?itemid=33072</a> <a href="#fnref:7" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:8"><p>"Reusable rocket prototype almost ready for first liftoff". Spaceflight Now. 2012-07-09. Archived from the original on 2016-11-16. Retrieved 2012-07-13. SpaceX has constructed a half-acre concrete launch facility in McGregor, and the Grasshopper rocket is already standing on the pad, outfitted with four insect-like silver landing legs. <a href="http://www.spaceflightnow.com/news/n1207/10grasshopper/" target="_blank">http://www.spaceflightnow.com/news/n1207/10grasshopper/</a> <a href="#fnref:8" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:9"><p>Mohney, Doug (2011-09-26). "SpaceX Plans to Test Reusable Suborbital VTVL Rocket in Texas". Satellite Spotlight. Archived from the original on 2016-08-04. Retrieved 2012-12-30. <a href="http://satellite.tmcnet.com/topics/satellite/articles/222324-spacex-plans-test-reusable-suborbital-vtvl-rocket-texas.htm" target="_blank">http://satellite.tmcnet.com/topics/satellite/articles/222324-spacex-plans-test-reusable-suborbital-vtvl-rocket-texas.htm</a> <a href="#fnref:9" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:10"><p>"Draft Environmental Assessment for Issuing an Experimental Permit to SpaceX for Operation of the Grasshopper Vehicle at the McGregor Test Site, Texas" (PDF). Federal Aviation Administration. 2011. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2013-01-12. Retrieved 2011-11-24. <a href="http://www.faa.gov/about/office_org/headquarters_offices/ast/media/20110922%20SpaceX%20Grasshopper%20Draft%20EA.Final.pdf" target="_blank">http://www.faa.gov/about/office_org/headquarters_offices/ast/media/20110922%20SpaceX%20Grasshopper%20Draft%20EA.Final.pdf</a> <a href="#fnref:10" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:11"><p>"Reusable rocket prototype almost ready for first liftoff". Spaceflight Now. 2012-07-09. Archived from the original on 2016-11-16. Retrieved 2012-07-13. SpaceX has constructed a half-acre concrete launch facility in McGregor, and the Grasshopper rocket is already standing on the pad, outfitted with four insect-like silver landing legs. <a href="http://www.spaceflightnow.com/news/n1207/10grasshopper/" target="_blank">http://www.spaceflightnow.com/news/n1207/10grasshopper/</a> <a href="#fnref:11" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:12"><p>Lindsey, Clark (2012-09-17). "SpaceX Grasshopper tests aim to quickly move up in altitude". NewSpace Watch. Archived from the original on 2014-09-28. Retrieved 2012-09-17. <a href="http://www.newspacewatch.com/articles/spacex-grasshopper-tests-aim-to-quickly-move-up-in-altitude.html" target="_blank">http://www.newspacewatch.com/articles/spacex-grasshopper-tests-aim-to-quickly-move-up-in-altitude.html</a> <a href="#fnref:12" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:13"><p>Coppinger, Rod (2012-11-23). "Huge Mars Colony Eyed by SpaceX Founder Elon Musk". Space.com. Archived from the original on 2013-06-28. Retrieved 2012-11-25. <a href="http://www.space.com/18596-mars-colony-spacex-elon-musk.html" target="_blank">http://www.space.com/18596-mars-colony-spacex-elon-musk.html</a> <a href="#fnref:13" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:14"><p>Simberg, Rand (2012-02-08). "Elon Musk on SpaceX's Reusable Rocket Plans". Popular Mechanics. Archived from the original on 2012-02-11. Retrieved 2012-02-07. <a href="http://www.popularmechanics.com/science/space/rockets/elon-musk-on-spacexs-reusable-rocket-plans-6653023" target="_blank">http://www.popularmechanics.com/science/space/rockets/elon-musk-on-spacexs-reusable-rocket-plans-6653023</a> <a href="#fnref:14" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:15"><p>Clark, Stephen (2012-09-24). "SpaceX's reusable rocket testbed takes first hop". Spaceflightnow. Archived from the original on 2012-09-27. Retrieved 2012-09-25. <a href="http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n1209/24grasshopper/" target="_blank">http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n1209/24grasshopper/</a> <a href="#fnref:15" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:16"><p>Lindsey, Clark (2013-05-07). "SpaceX to test Grasshopper reusable booster at Spaceport America in NM". NewSpace Watch. Archived from the original on 2015-01-18. Retrieved 2013-05-07. <a href="http://www.newspacewatch.com/articles/spacex-to-test-grasshopper-reusable-booster-at-spaceport-america-in-nm.html" target="_blank">http://www.newspacewatch.com/articles/spacex-to-test-grasshopper-reusable-booster-at-spaceport-america-in-nm.html</a> <a href="#fnref:16" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:17"><p>"Reusable rocket prototype almost ready for first liftoff". Spaceflightnow.com. 2012. Archived from the original on 2016-11-16. Retrieved 2012-05-12. <a href="http://www.spaceflightnow.com/news/n1207/10grasshopper/" target="_blank">http://www.spaceflightnow.com/news/n1207/10grasshopper/</a> <a href="#fnref:17" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:18"><p>Lindsey, Clark (2013-05-07). "SpaceX to test Grasshopper reusable booster at Spaceport America in NM". NewSpace Watch. Archived from the original on 2015-01-18. Retrieved 2013-05-07. <a href="http://www.newspacewatch.com/articles/spacex-to-test-grasshopper-reusable-booster-at-spaceport-america-in-nm.html" target="_blank">http://www.newspacewatch.com/articles/spacex-to-test-grasshopper-reusable-booster-at-spaceport-america-in-nm.html</a> <a href="#fnref:18" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:19"><p>Abbot, Joseph (2013-05-07). "SpaceX moving Grasshopper testing to New Mexico". Waco Tribune. Archived from the original on 2017-12-31. Retrieved 2013-05-08. <a href="https://www.wacotrib.com/blogs/joe_science/spacex-moving-grasshopper-testing-to-new-mexico/article_34e2f2f6-b754-11e2-aa32-001a4bcf887a.html" target="_blank">https://www.wacotrib.com/blogs/joe_science/spacex-moving-grasshopper-testing-to-new-mexico/article_34e2f2f6-b754-11e2-aa32-001a4bcf887a.html</a> <a href="#fnref:19" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:20"><p>Leone, Dan (2013-05-13). "SpaceX Leases Pad in New Mexico for Next Grasshopper Tests". SpaceNews. Archived from the original on September 3, 2013. Retrieved 2013-08-03. <a href="https://archive.today/20130903081450/http://www.spacenews.com/article/launch-report/35306spacex-leases-pad-in-new-mexico-for-next-grasshopper-tests#.Uf0JMtLOvgQ" target="_blank">https://archive.today/20130903081450/http://www.spacenews.com/article/launch-report/35306spacex-leases-pad-in-new-mexico-for-next-grasshopper-tests#.Uf0JMtLOvgQ</a> <a href="#fnref:20" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:21"><p>Mohney, Doug (2011-09-26). "SpaceX Plans to Test Reusable Suborbital VTVL Rocket in Texas". Satellite Spotlight. Archived from the original on 2016-08-04. Retrieved 2012-12-30. <a href="http://satellite.tmcnet.com/topics/satellite/articles/222324-spacex-plans-test-reusable-suborbital-vtvl-rocket-texas.htm" target="_blank">http://satellite.tmcnet.com/topics/satellite/articles/222324-spacex-plans-test-reusable-suborbital-vtvl-rocket-texas.htm</a> <a href="#fnref:21" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:22"><p>"Musk's Space Talk Wows Crowd at South by Southwest". Moon and Back. 2013-03-11. Archived from the original on 2013-03-13. Retrieved 2013-03-11. <a href="http://moonandback.com/2013/03/10/musks-space-talk-wows-crowd-at-south-by-southwest/" target="_blank">http://moonandback.com/2013/03/10/musks-space-talk-wows-crowd-at-south-by-southwest/</a> <a href="#fnref:22" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:23"><p>"Spacex May try to land or recover the first stage of it next Falcon 9 v1.1 launch this summer". Next Big Future. 2013-03-23. Archived from the original on 2013-03-27. Retrieved 2013-04-06. <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130327032635/http://nextbigfuture.com/2013/03/spacex-may-try-to-land-recover-first.html" target="_blank">https://web.archive.org/web/20130327032635/http://nextbigfuture.com/2013/03/spacex-may-try-to-land-recover-first.html</a> <a href="#fnref:23" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:24"><p>Bergin, Chris (2014-04-22). "Rockets that return home – SpaceX pushing the boundaries". NASAspaceflight.com. Archived from the original on 2014-04-25. Retrieved 2014-04-23. <a href="http://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2014/04/rockets-return-home-spacex-pushing-boundaries/" target="_blank">http://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2014/04/rockets-return-home-spacex-pushing-boundaries/</a> <a href="#fnref:24" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:25"><p>"A 2nd-gen Grasshopper + A new video of first hop". NewSpace Watch. 2012-10-02. Archived from the original on January 4, 2013. Retrieved 2012-11-04. <a href="https://archive.today/20130104030313/http://www.newspacewatch.com/articles/a-2nd-gen-grasshopper-a-new-video-of-first-hop.html" target="_blank">https://archive.today/20130104030313/http://www.newspacewatch.com/articles/a-2nd-gen-grasshopper-a-new-video-of-first-hop.html</a> <a href="#fnref:25" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:26"><p>Lindsey, Clark (2013-05-02). "SpaceX shows a leg for the "F-niner"". Archived from the original on 2013-05-25. Retrieved 2013-05-02. F9R (pronounced F-niner) shows a little leg. Design is a nested, telescoping piston w A frame... High pressure helium. Needs to be ultra light. <a href="http://www.newspacewatch.com/articles/spacex-shows-a-leg-for-the-quotf-ninerquot.html" target="_blank">http://www.newspacewatch.com/articles/spacex-shows-a-leg-for-the-quotf-ninerquot.html</a> <a href="#fnref:26" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:27"><p>"A 2nd-gen Grasshopper + A new video of first hop". NewSpace Watch. 2012-10-02. Archived from the original on January 4, 2013. Retrieved 2012-11-04. <a href="https://archive.today/20130104030313/http://www.newspacewatch.com/articles/a-2nd-gen-grasshopper-a-new-video-of-first-hop.html" target="_blank">https://archive.today/20130104030313/http://www.newspacewatch.com/articles/a-2nd-gen-grasshopper-a-new-video-of-first-hop.html</a> <a href="#fnref:27" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:28"><p>Abbott, Joseph (2014-04-17). "Grasshopper's successor flies at SpaceX's McGregor site". Waco Tribune. Retrieved 2014-04-18. <a href="https://www.wacotrib.com/blogs/joe_science/grasshopper-s-successor-flies-at-spacex-s-mcgregor-site/article_66310240-c67f-11e3-bf29-001a4bcf887a.html" target="_blank">https://www.wacotrib.com/blogs/joe_science/grasshopper-s-successor-flies-at-spacex-s-mcgregor-site/article_66310240-c67f-11e3-bf29-001a4bcf887a.html</a> <a href="#fnref:28" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:29"><p>Lindsey, Clark (2013-05-07). "SpaceX to test Grasshopper reusable booster at Spaceport America in NM". NewSpace Watch. Archived from the original on 2015-01-18. Retrieved 2013-05-07. <a href="http://www.newspacewatch.com/articles/spacex-to-test-grasshopper-reusable-booster-at-spaceport-america-in-nm.html" target="_blank">http://www.newspacewatch.com/articles/spacex-to-test-grasshopper-reusable-booster-at-spaceport-america-in-nm.html</a> <a href="#fnref:29" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:30"><p>Shotwell, Gwynne (June 4, 2014). Discussion with Gwynne Shotwell, President and COO, SpaceX. Atlantic Council. Event occurs at 22:35–26:20. Archived from the original on January 25, 2017. Retrieved June 9, 2014. This technology element [reusable launch vehicle technology] all this innovation is being done by SpaceX alone, no one is paying us to do it. The government is very interested in the data we are collecting on this test series. ... This is the kind of thing that entrepreneurial investment and new entrants/innovators can do for an industry: fund their own improvements, both in the quality of their programs and the quality of their hardware, and the speed and cadence of their operations. <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sYocHwhfFDc" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sYocHwhfFDc</a> <a href="#fnref:30" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:31"><p>Bergin, Chris (2014-04-22). "Rockets that return home – SpaceX pushing the boundaries". NASAspaceflight.com. Archived from the original on 2014-04-25. Retrieved 2014-04-23. <a href="http://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2014/04/rockets-return-home-spacex-pushing-boundaries/" target="_blank">http://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2014/04/rockets-return-home-spacex-pushing-boundaries/</a> <a href="#fnref:31" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:32"><p>Norris, Guy (2014-04-28). "SpaceX Plans For Multiple Reusable Booster Tests: Controlled water landing marks a major stride toward SpaceX's Falcon rapid-reusability goal". Aviation Week. Archived from the original on 2014-04-26. Retrieved 2014-04-26. 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