Because my mind is not trained to think this is possible, it actually looks fake. This is quite a remarkable accomplishment.
It is indeed very impressive, but not at all new. I think NASA had run a couple of tests similar to this, but I'm pretty sure SpaceX has their own tech.
Part of the iniative to move space launches to the private sector was "knowledge sharing" with NASA. SpaceX employs a few former NASA engineers, as well as engineers from their old contracting firms like Lockheed, etc. How much knowledge was actually shared is unknown, but that is part of the beauty behind the privatization movement of the space industry in the US.but I'm pretty sure SpaceX has their own tech.
I know what you mean. Seeing it just kind of "float" like that, but not really being able to see or grasp how much thrust is going on it just looks too odd for me. They've been slowly taking higher and higher test "launches", but this one had the most unique camera angle, the rest have been video from the craft itself or from the ground, which didn't seem as impressive.
Well, the space shuttle was trying to reach orbit, this technology is for an entirely different purpose so that observation is relevant.