Courtesy SpaceX(KCEN) -- SpaceX announced today that their Grasshopper has completed its highest leap so far, nearly doubling its previous record leap.
SpaceX, which tests its rockets in McGregor, said the Grasshopper leaped 24 stories in the air in a test done on March 7. Once it was in the air, it hovered for 34 seconds before safely landing.
The touchdown was even a record. It was the most precise landing the Grasshopper has ever competed.
Developing reusable rockets is one of SpaceX's main goals. The company believes accomplishing that will greatly reduce the cost of space exploration.
The Grasshopper is being used to test technology that would allow a rocket to land intact instead of burning up as it reenters the Earth's atmosphere.
The Thursday test was the Grasshopper's fourth test flight. The Grasshopper is about 10 stories tall and consists of several different parts.
