Not only this, but the spacex grasshopper test was the first that I saw that had the rocket do a vertical takeoff, and then land.
1995, DC-X, and it's pyramidal
Is that correct? Amazing that this was achievable 20 years ago. Why no other re-usable rocket since 1996 if this was doable?
> Why no other re-usable rocket since 1996 if this
> was doable?
The problem with SSTOs, in general is that while getting them to take off and land isn't a big hurdle, getting them into orbit with more than a nontrivial payload is pretty difficult.
http://www.jerrypournelle.com/slowchange/SSX.html
It's a concept with its supporters, but there's a pretty large program risk - the numbers are so tight you may get to the end of your development and realize your rocket works but can take only, you know, 25 pounds of payload to LEO. Or maybe a few tons. Or maybe you can't get to orbit at all.
SpaceX's plan to land each stage individually probably makes a lot more sense from the risk perspective.