14 DAY TRIAL // While SpaceX's ISS resupply program is proceeding nicely, with the Dragon spacecraft and the Falcon 9 rocket performing well, despite the odd glitch, the company has several more advanced projects in the works as well.
One of the most interesting things it's working on is the Grasshopper, a reusable rocket designed to take off and land under its own power.
A working reusable rocket like this could significantly reduce the costs of putting things into orbit. So far though, the Grasshopper's tests have been relatively small.
In the first test, the Grasshopper barely got off the ground. In the latest, the rocket lifted up to about 80 meters (263 feet) hovered for a while and then landed safely back down. In total, it hovered for about 34 seconds.
All of this while carrying a rather peculiar passenger, a daredevil cowboy who didn't seem too fazed by the entire experience.