The current land speed record of 763 mph was set in Richard Noble's Thrust Supersonic Car (SSC) in 1997 driven by British RAF Wing Commander Andy Green. Now, nearly 20 years later, a new record attempt will be made with the same driver, now 53, at the wheel.
The new car is the Bloodhound SSC which will make the record attempt on a specially prepared track in South Africa and the whole project will cost ~ 40 million pounds and has attracted much big business backing.
The Bloodhound will be powered by a hybrid jet/rocket propulsion system. A prototype Eurojet EJ200 jet engine developed for the Eurofighter will take the car to 300 mph after which rocket engines designed by Nammo will boost the car up to 1,000 mph. The rocket engines will be fueled by liquid high-test peroxide (H2O2) and solid hydroxyl-terminated polybutadiene (rubber) which is said to be a cleaner form of rocket oxidizer and rubber than is used in most space craft. The combined engines will produce more than 135,000 BHP. Additionally, a 550 BHP Jaguar engine is fitted for use as an auxiliary power unit (APU) and to drive the oxidizer pump for the rocket engines.
It will be an engineering challenge just to keep the Bloodhound on the ground as it will supposedly hit 1,000 mph in 55 seconds from a standing start. At a speed of over 800 mph it's not known how a land-based vehicle will react.
The racing venue is a specially cleared 12-mile stretch of the Hakskeen Pan in South Africa's Kalahari Desert. For five years, 300 local workers have been removing 18,500 tons of rock from the dried-up lake-bed track. Later this year, the team will establish themselves in South Africa for three months. The plan is to aim for a top speed of 800 mph and a new land speed record. In 2016, the team will return with two additional rocket engines added to the car and a hoped for record of 1,000 mph.
Reference:
Sorry, I can't get the link to open for some unknown reason. I'm sure I typed the address correctly. The article on which this summary is based appeared in the British newspaper, "The Independent" on Sunday, March 22nd 2015. If you go there and look for Motoring/Motoring News you may find it. Otherwise you'll just have to take my word for the veracity of the material given. Or not.
Happy Thrusting!
The new car is the Bloodhound SSC which will make the record attempt on a specially prepared track in South Africa and the whole project will cost ~ 40 million pounds and has attracted much big business backing.
The Bloodhound will be powered by a hybrid jet/rocket propulsion system. A prototype Eurojet EJ200 jet engine developed for the Eurofighter will take the car to 300 mph after which rocket engines designed by Nammo will boost the car up to 1,000 mph. The rocket engines will be fueled by liquid high-test peroxide (H2O2) and solid hydroxyl-terminated polybutadiene (rubber) which is said to be a cleaner form of rocket oxidizer and rubber than is used in most space craft. The combined engines will produce more than 135,000 BHP. Additionally, a 550 BHP Jaguar engine is fitted for use as an auxiliary power unit (APU) and to drive the oxidizer pump for the rocket engines.
It will be an engineering challenge just to keep the Bloodhound on the ground as it will supposedly hit 1,000 mph in 55 seconds from a standing start. At a speed of over 800 mph it's not known how a land-based vehicle will react.
The racing venue is a specially cleared 12-mile stretch of the Hakskeen Pan in South Africa's Kalahari Desert. For five years, 300 local workers have been removing 18,500 tons of rock from the dried-up lake-bed track. Later this year, the team will establish themselves in South Africa for three months. The plan is to aim for a top speed of 800 mph and a new land speed record. In 2016, the team will return with two additional rocket engines added to the car and a hoped for record of 1,000 mph.
Reference:
Sorry, I can't get the link to open for some unknown reason. I'm sure I typed the address correctly. The article on which this summary is based appeared in the British newspaper, "The Independent" on Sunday, March 22nd 2015. If you go there and look for Motoring/Motoring News you may find it. Otherwise you'll just have to take my word for the veracity of the material given. Or not.
Happy Thrusting!
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