London (UK) – Two land speed record holders are aiming to break the 1000 mph barrier by 2011: Lord Drayson, the British Minister of State for Science and Innovation, today launched The Bloodhound project, which promises to result in a jet-powered vehicle that will hit a speed of 1.4 Mach – which almost twice the cruising speed of your average commercial airliner and even faster than some military jets.

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If you have a budget of about $1.5 million and some patience, you can purchase the world’s fastest production car, the Bugatti Veyron 16.4, and brag about a top speed slightly north of 250 mph. But even that insane speed (which can only achieved with a special key and typically only on closed circuits) is well below the current land speed record of 763 mph, which was achieved by a jet-powered car called Thrust SSC in 1997. 14 years later, the same driver, Andy Green, as well as a previous record holder, Richard Noble, will try to break the 1000 mph barrier with Bloodhound SSC (SSC stands for super sonic car) in a project that is financed by the British Ministry of Defence.  

 

The vehicle is about 42 ft long, weighs 14,158 pounds (fuelled) and is expected to accelerate from 0 – 1050 mph in 40 seconds. At that speed, 900mm diameter wheels will spin at over 10,000rpm, generating 50,000 radial g at the rim. Every second, the vehicle will cover a distance of 1466 feet, which is the equivalent of nearly 5 football fields. The downforce pressure on its carbon fiber and titanium bodywork will exceed 2450 pounds per square foot or more than 12 tons per square meter.

Today’s project launch is followed by a week-long exhibition at the Science Museum, London, where the public can meet the team.


Challenges

Bloodhound SSC faces two key challenges – to create tires that will hold on at 1000 mph and are not damaged by surface inconsistencies, as well a power plant that will drive the vehicle to a top speed of more than 1000 mph. Deeply involved in the project are scientists at the UK's National Physical Laboratory (NPL) as well as colleagues at the Atomic Weapons Establishment (AWE) and Fluid Gravity Engineering (FGE) units “to advise the world-record bid team on two of the most high-risk aspects of the world record attempt.”

The scientists said the wheels need to be able to rotate at 10,500 rpm without being damaged by the surface or any stones that they run over. They also need to be as light as possible to minimize steering and suspension forces, absorb all of the weight, down force loads and stresses and distribute this pressure without causing damage to the vehicle or the surface. The choice of materials, including titanium, aluminum alloys and metal composites are currently evaluated because at such speeds the wheels act like powerful gyroscopes.


Power plant

The power will come from the first ever mixed power plant of a hybrid rocket motor and a jet engine that is currently used on the Eurofighter Typhoon. The Eurojet EJ200 afterburning turbofan provides a thrust of 60 kN or 13,500 lbs and 90 kN or 22,000 lbs with afterburner, which would be enough to lift the Bloodhound SSC vertically off the ground like a rocket. Equipped with two engines, the Eurofighter jet is capable of reaching a top speed of about 1320 mph or Mach 2.

When completed, the Bloodhound SSC (super sonic car) will be driven by Andy Green who set the current record of 763 mph. If the new vehicle achieves its target of 1,000 mph, it will mark the greatest incremental increase in the history of the World Land Speed Record. It will also exceed the low altitude speed record for aircraft (994 mph), the developers said. Richard Noble who set a land speed record with Thrust 2 and 633 mph in 1983, was appointed project leader for Bloodhound SSC.


Big objective - education

The organization said that it is primary objective of the project is to “create an unprecedented education and engagement program, lead led by a dedicated team of teachers and education specialists.”

“From innovative, curriculum based lesson plans covering subjects ranging from geography to citizenship, as well as science, technology, engineering and mathematics, to a schools visitor centre featuring the ‘classroom of the future’ at the team’s HQ in Filton, Bristol, the aim is to make Bloodhound SSC accessible to all ages from 5 – 19 and beyond,” the group stated.

Thurst SSC

Oct 23, 2008 13:48     

"... which was achieved by a rocket-powered car called Thrust SSC in 1997." Thrust SSC was powered by a pair of jet engines. It was not "rocket-powered." [You are correct. Error fixed. -ed.]
Rufus report abuse vote down vote up Votes: +1

jet engines,rocket-powered...blah..

Oct 23, 2008 14:14     

just a jet without wings. why drive when you can fly. so pointless when this benifits nothing. you can't learn from it how to make better cars...and you can't learn from it how to make better jets. only for people with big eagle want to break some useless speed record.
yo report abuse vote down vote up Votes: -4

Re: jet engines,rocket-powered...blah..

Oct 23, 2008 16:51     

I totally agree, yo! Besides, doesn't it feel kinda like CHEATING, They want to break a record where originally only tuned-up cars were used, and now they just put a jet engine on it to make it (obviously much) faster?
StudyMaster report abuse vote down vote up Votes: -5

That's a lot of downward pressure.

Oct 23, 2008 17:17     

pretty soon the salt flats aren't going to be drivable.
WTF report abuse vote down vote up Votes: +0

define tuned-up cars.

Oct 23, 2008 17:17     

Land speed records have, for over 100 years, been held by completely bespoke cars. while they may have had internal combustion engines, the engines were hardly something one would find in anything resembling a production car--or even a race car, for that matter. The engines in question usually had a displacement in excess of 20 litres, which made them much more comparable to aircraft engines than car engines. So the way I figure it, this car just continues the tradition of putting aircraft engines into cars.

no report abuse vote down vote up Votes: +2

The pursuit of recognition is the pursuit of those ...

Oct 23, 2008 21:48     

The pursuit of recognition is the pursuit of those with a small penis.
Nelly report abuse vote down vote up Votes: -1

We did not climb Everest to make better ladders.

Oct 24, 2008 01:49     

Risking life and limb, at great cost, people did not set out to conquer Everest in order to be able to produce better ladders, we did not walk on the moon to help in the production of more efficient aircraft. These and other firsts were strived for and achieved because of the challenge to push back the frontiers of what we know, can do and may achieve in the future. For all the negative, small minded nay sayers – get a life, there is more in the world than producing a better mouse trap. SSC - Good for you! Your team has entertained us with visions of the future where what is possible is pushing on into the unknown. Big ideas and lofty goals are part of what is best in humanity.

Philip report abuse vote down vote up Votes: +5

Re: We did not climb Everest to make better ladders.

Oct 24, 2008 05:49     

Agreed! I don't know what sort of world the nay sayers live in, I wonder if they even bother getting up every morning...
Nick Elliott report abuse vote down vote up Votes: +1

conquer Everest

Oct 24, 2008 08:57     

Mount Everest had already been conquered many times. You are just following other's foot steps. You want a challenge..do something useful. Shoot the rocket upward and try to reach out to space. instead of driving on the salt pit. I am pretty sure if you can ride on the rocket used on the space shuttle...you can ride even faster than this rocket car by SSC. The point is that this is not the fastest thing ever... it's just a bunch of guys with money and nothing to do to find some fun to feel their eagle and empty life...because they already have money...nothing more to go for except breaking some stupid record...like eating hotdogs contest.

yo report abuse vote down vote up Votes: +1

14 footbal fields ?!?

Oct 24, 2008 10:13     

14 football fields = 1,466 feets 1 football field = 104.7 feet = 31.9 meters?!?
Ural report abuse vote down vote up Votes: -2

measure

Oct 24, 2008 14:01     

1 football field = 300 feet
wee report abuse vote down vote up Votes: -1

Nice Ride

Oct 24, 2008 14:09     

Wow! That is sure to be one crazy ride! Jiff www.online-privacy.cz.tc
Jiff Jones report abuse vote down vote up Votes: +0

The point of pushing the boundaries and tackling ch...

Oct 24, 2008 14:36     

The point of pushing the boundaries and tackling challenges is to foster breakthroughs or innovation that would not normally occur, to be made. In this case, the challenge is not simply "make it go faster." If any of you actually bothered to read the article, you would know that the main challenges are designing tires and wheels that are able to hold up to the sheer amount of pressure placed on them and handle the rotational speed. If any of you think this is a trivial task, I challenge you to even begin to think of which alloy would be best for such problems. Or even better, come up with a design that obliterates current wheel and tire designs, paving a new future for all automobiles. Oh that's right, you can't. And apparently you think that you don't rely on all the wonderful innovations made in all various ways and means throughout history. That's right, you did it all on your own. Wake up and realize that it's the work of scientists, innovators, and enthusiasts that have pushed boundaries of accepted limitations and brought us to where we are now. Every possible chance for innovation is wonderful. Sadly, those who cannot see the potential in superficially simple things are obviously not going to benefit the world much.

a guest report abuse vote down vote up Votes: +3

Is the Hamster going to be driving it?...

Oct 24, 2008 15:23     

Is the Hamster going to be driving it?
R Entwisle report abuse vote down vote up Votes: +1

waste of money

Oct 24, 2008 15:56     

this is such a waste of money and research time. you will never be able to drive that fast on any road. and if you must use this in a deserted area, why not just fly? I don't see a real world application for this vehicle other than to say "we did it!"
John report abuse vote down vote up Votes: -1

whats next...

Oct 25, 2008 07:48     

a "car" with a jet engine on tracks starting at the top of a mountain so it can build up even more speed on the way down? IT'S NOT A CAR ANYMORE, IT'S A JET WITHOUT WINGS, like the other people are saying. Geesh.. Why not just lay a couple of Ariadne rockets on their side and strap a mustang to them?
Ronald Stepp report abuse vote down vote up Votes: -1

For those who don't understand why doing such things is important

Oct 29, 2008 01:03     

No innovation or invention or discovery we use or take for granted today came into being because someone sat down in front of their desk one day and said "I'm going to invent a (insert any invention here) today" without having data to build on. That data didn't come from another guy sitting at his desk saying "I'm going to create this data today". That data came from events that happen in the real world and is gained by explorers both ordinary and extraordinary (and sometimes even foolhardy) who usually had absolutely no idea that what they were doing would lead to anything useful let alone some knowledge that would lead to an important new discovery. Humans learn by doing, even when that doing might seem "pointless" or even "wasteful" at the time it is done. That is the nature of how we gain knowledge. Look at the history of our race and you will see that I'm not just blowing sunshine up your skirt. Example: Why bother to send men in to space? At the time, it was for fear and the unknown. Fear that the Soviets would take over space and bomb us and because we had no idea what space would be like without actually going there. But look at where that led. Everything from medical devices to better battery technology to better sunglasses. Was better medical devices or better batteries or better sunglasses why we went to space? Of course not! Now do you understand why the statement "I don't see any point in doing this" doesn't have anything to do with the actual value of doing it? This isn't about getting from point A to point B faster than everyone else. It's about what we might learn along the way in making the attempt... and I couldn't care less if the reason for doing it is nothing other than someones "ego". it's as valid a reason as any other.

Stimpson report abuse vote down vote up Votes: +2

so how the heck are they going to stop this thing? ...

Nov 13, 2008 01:56     

so how the heck are they going to stop this thing?
wil report abuse vote down vote up Votes: +0

Speed

Nov 28, 2008 22:36     

G'day to you all.I have been a big fan of Jet Cars for a long time now & reading your story about the Bloodhound Car is somthing.I've been trying to get myself a Jet Car for Drag Raceing but when I get close to it things doin't go my way. I read your story & seen the Pic's several times & I love your work. Best of luck to you all & hope you get there.
Frank report abuse vote down vote up Votes: +0