SpaceX Grasshopper does a hop.

[Galane]

http://www.space.com/22379-spacex-grasshopper-rocket-sideways-flight-video.html

The new video shows SpaceX's Grasshopper launching to an altitude of 820 feet (250 meters). The rocket then went into a hover mode, moved 328 feet (100 m) sideways, and then returned back to the center of its launch pad. From launch to landing, the flight lasted just over one minute.

Anyone made a rocket like this in KSP?

[Mr Shifty]

That is an awesome video! It's hard to get a sense of the scale, but that thing is over 100 ft tall. Incredible!

[astropapi1]

You beat me to it.

"But guys, using the translatron isn't fair!"

[nettcod]

Wow, that was awesome!

[Diche Bach]

Pretty cool! What function is it supposed to serve?

I have done something similar with a very simple little rocket I build that I call "KSC Marker." Tiny little Oscar fuel can, small engine (the 20 power one I think) parachute, RemoteTech dipole to be controllable.

Lift it up and shift it off to the side of the launch pad a few hundred meters, and set it down (use parachute if necessary). Then leave it more or less permanently to mark KSC location on the globe.

[B787_300]

Pretty cool! What function is it supposed to serve?

Elon (owner) wants the rocket to come back and land vertically at KSC so that it can be reused to save money

www.youtube.com/watch?v=abLC1l3loFA

[Galane]

Elon Musk has this crazy 1950's era idea that every part of a spaceship that goes up should come back down in reusable condition... ;-) It would be a better concept than continuing to lob people and payloads into space atop intercontinental ballistic missiles.

[Apotheosist]

This is certainly the way forward. Most exciting!