Bloodhound SSC - the fastest car in the world?
September 24th 2014
Doctor
Annie Ockelford of Loughborough University, joined us at Erica’s to talk about
a 1,000mph car and the attempt on the World Speed record. Annie is a member of
their 80 ambassadors group whose main objective is to use the project to
inspire boys and girls to take up courses and careers in Maths, Science,
Technology and Engineering. The ambassadors go into schools and involve
children in projects and problem solving. During discussion it was felt that
the Head Teachers and school managers are the key to making changes to the
culture of a school which will produce the engineers etc. for the future.
Bloodhound, which is being built in a unit alongside Brunel’s SS Great Britain in Bristol, is being developed from Richard Noble’s earlier record breaking cars. The team hold the land speed record of 750mph with Thrust SSC. This was won in 1997 and still stands. At present there are 4 teams around the World building new cars to challenge for the title. Noble’s team are the most advanced with the construction of their car. The target of 1000mph is far away from the earliest land speed record of 39mhp set in 1898. Noble drove the earlier version of Thrust but Andy Green (an RAF fighter pilot) joined the team and is the current record holder. He is the driver around whom Bloodhound is being built. Only Andy Green’s 6ft frame will fit the cockpit.
Some basic facts:
13m long X 3m high
Weight 6.5 tons of which 2 tons is the fuel for 2 runs.
3 engines – a jet engine to get the car to 400mph, a hybrid rocket to get to 1000mph and a Cosworth formula 1 engine to pump the fuel into the other 2 engines
The cockpit is made from Carbon fibre and has been tested to withstand forces in a 1000 mph crash as the driver cannot be ejected at that speed. The cover is 30mm thick acrylic which has been made optically perfect. A 10 mile track in South Africa has been prepared. Volunteers have hand-picked stones as small as a pea to provide a smooth surface track.
The car is due to be run under its own power early next year on an airfield near Newquay. The record attempt is scheduled for 2016.
Questions and discussion followed this enlightening talk and the meeting was rounded off with Erica’s wonderful apple and chocolate cakes.
Bloodhound, which is being built in a unit alongside Brunel’s SS Great Britain in Bristol, is being developed from Richard Noble’s earlier record breaking cars. The team hold the land speed record of 750mph with Thrust SSC. This was won in 1997 and still stands. At present there are 4 teams around the World building new cars to challenge for the title. Noble’s team are the most advanced with the construction of their car. The target of 1000mph is far away from the earliest land speed record of 39mhp set in 1898. Noble drove the earlier version of Thrust but Andy Green (an RAF fighter pilot) joined the team and is the current record holder. He is the driver around whom Bloodhound is being built. Only Andy Green’s 6ft frame will fit the cockpit.
Some basic facts:
13m long X 3m high
Weight 6.5 tons of which 2 tons is the fuel for 2 runs.
3 engines – a jet engine to get the car to 400mph, a hybrid rocket to get to 1000mph and a Cosworth formula 1 engine to pump the fuel into the other 2 engines
The cockpit is made from Carbon fibre and has been tested to withstand forces in a 1000 mph crash as the driver cannot be ejected at that speed. The cover is 30mm thick acrylic which has been made optically perfect. A 10 mile track in South Africa has been prepared. Volunteers have hand-picked stones as small as a pea to provide a smooth surface track.
The car is due to be run under its own power early next year on an airfield near Newquay. The record attempt is scheduled for 2016.
Questions and discussion followed this enlightening talk and the meeting was rounded off with Erica’s wonderful apple and chocolate cakes.