Companies and agencies made progress in 2013 toward reusable launch vehicles that someday could offer lower costs and more frequent space missions. SpaceX flew its Grasshopper reusable rocket to progressively higher altitudes in a succession of test flights. These vertical takeoff and landing flights are furthering the company's goal of recovering and reusing the first stage of its Falcon 9 rocket. In July, after successful tests in March and April, the Grasshopper reached a record altitude of over 1,000 ft before landing vertically. Several smaller startup companies have been working on reusable rocket-powered craft for suborbital spaceflight, with growth paths to orbital launch.
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