Land speed record holders Andy Green and Richard Noble are teaming up set a new land speed record, they announced today. The pair are preparing to break through the 1000mph barrier for the first time, 12 years after they set today’s 763mph record.
The two speed specialists today launch the Bloodhound Project – which will sire a 6.4-tonne supersonic car. It will use a combination of jet, rocket and piston power, and the 12.8m-long car will be developed in Filton, near Bristol, UK.
The targets for this record-breaking project are mind-boggling. This SSC is designed to hit Mach 1.4 and should, if all goes to plan, sprint to 1050mph in just 40 seconds. Mind blowing.
Land speed record: Bloodhound Project
The team is planning a stepped approach to creating a new land speed record. In 2009, it is aiming for a 800mph run, followed by a 900mph attempt in 2010 and the full 1000mph in 2011.
It’s not yet confirmed where the record attempt will be held – but there are very few suitable areas in the world for flat-out driving at the speed of sound. The Black Rock Desert in Nevada, the scene of Green’s record in Thrust SSC, is a likely venue, say the organisers.
The project is sponsored by oil company STP to contribute to the huge costs of the four-year project. And visitors will be actively encouraged to visit the Filton site to watch the car being built, as the organisers drum up publicity.
Fighter pilot Andy Green, who received an OBE for his record, said: ‘I’ve met graduate engineers who are adamant that our previous record was what inspired their career choice as youngsters: that sort of thing makes all the effort worthwhile.’
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