Bloodhound SSC (Super Sonic Car) is the latest attempt to set a new land speed record (LSR). Those in charge are aiming to shatter the current record by about 400 km/h. That difference is almost the same as a Bugatti Chiron at top speed.

History lesson

The project is headed up by Richard Noble, himself a former holder of the LSR. The current record holder is Andy Green, an RAF pilot who drove Thrust SSC to 1 227 km/h in 1997. In doing so Green also broke the sound barrier on land, the first time anyone has done so.

Green and Noble have partnered up again to lift the record even higher. With the new car, called Bloodhound SSC, the pair are aiming for 1 000 mph, or 1 609 km/h in new money. In doing so the car will travel 1,6 km in just 3,6 seconds…

Plenty of power

To achieve this figure the odd-shaped vehicle relies on rocket power to produce a total of just over 100 000 kW, yes, you read that correctly, one HUNDRED thousand kilowatts.

There is plenty of info on the Bloodhound SSC website.

The team in charge has been quite open about how the car works and uses the project to inspire a young generation of learners to take up the allied sciences as a course of study.

Bloodhound has already done a number of “low” speed runs to test systems on the car. You can watch those by clicking this link.

Local is lekker

The South African link to this LSR comes in the shape of Hakskeen Pan in the Northern Cape. The area provided the space the car needs to achieve this ludicrous speed. Over the last few years, locals have removed 16 000 tons of rocks from the track.

Earlier this week it was announced that Bloodhound will the shipped to SA next May to set up for the record-setting run. The team hopes to attempt the record between October and November 2019.

Intro video: