Landspeed Record Could be Broken

The British are building a car that will run at 1,000 miles per hour and a successful test to see if the rocket engine will fire is the first big step forward. The Bloodhound SSC was the largest rocket firing in the United Kingdom in over 20 years. The vehicle is being designed to break the land speed record of 763 miles per hour which also broke the sound barrier on land. Andy Green, a British Royal Air Force pilot is the first person to break the land barrier and will be driving the Bloodhound for the new record.

Three more test will be necessary before the team will attempt the record, which will take place next October in South Africa. The target speed is 1,050 miles per hour which the Bloodhound is expected to reach in 42 seconds. The engine is described as a hybrid as it runs on a mixture of solid synthetic rubber fuel and liquid high test peroxide oxidizer. It uses a Formula 1 race car ignition system and features a jet engine from a Typhoon fighter jet. Although the Bloodhound is trying reach 1,050 miles per hour, there’s already a team in California building a vehicle, with the hope of reaching 2,000 miles per hour. I’d say; the race is on.