The Bloodhound team will aim to set a new land speed record of 800 mph (1,287 km/h) on October 15, 2016, it has been revealed. It will then aim for the 1,000 mph (1,600 km/h) barrier in 2017. But before then, members of the public are being invited to see the impressive, almost-complete Bloodhound Supersonic Car (SSC) at its world debut in London. Gizmag was invited along, and was left suitably awe-struck at the raw power and engineering on show.
Currently 98 percent complete, the 135,000-hp (100,670-kW) land speed racer is being presented in a record attempt configuration, but without the carbon fiber bodywork on one side to allow visitors to get a unique peek at what’s inside and the level of engineering involved. In fact, the remaining two percent to complete Bloodhound SSC will consist of adding the rockets and a couple of minor components, and fitting the rest of the bodywork, which actually means there’d be less to see if it were entirely finished.The car (a three letter word which spectacularly fails to do Bloodhound justice) has gone on show at East Wintergarden in Canary Wharf – the Bristol-based team behind it says its technical center just isn’t big enough to cope with the levels of public interest. Also on show are team support vehicles, including the custom-built Jaguar Rapid Response Vehicles, the Mission Control Center, and a Bloodhound driving simulator that will give visitors an insight into what it will be like behind the wheel of this wonderfully crazy beast at 1,000 mph.
The first thing which struck us was the sheer size of Bloodhound SSC. It’s much bigger than it looks in the CGI illustrations we’ve pored over during the past couple of years. It measures 45 ft (14 m) long and cuts a dashing figure with a fin that stands some 13 ft (4 m) tall. Entering the hall we were presented with the finished and branded side of the car, but while that’s all very nice, what everyone wanted to see was the side with the exposed innards.
Looking at the exposed parts of Bloodhound SSC reveals the intricate carbon fiber, steel and alloy chassis that holds the car together, and is the product of the team of Formula 1 and aerospace experts. The absence of branded bodywork also shows the internal skeleton of Bloodhound’s giant tail-fin, which contains a selection of sensors and a camera.
A closer inspection of the gleaming insides reveals why Bloodhound SSC is sometimes said to be part plane, part car, and part spaceship. A Rolls-Royce EJ200 jet engine, more normally deployed in a Eurofighter Typhoon combat aircraft, sits under the fin and will be used to power the car before the rocket takes over. Also in position is the Jaguar V8 engine which will be used to pump oxidizer into the yet-to-be-fitted Nammo hybrid rockets, themselves more commonly used by the European Space Agency.
The Bloodhound SSC cockpit is frequently referred to as driver Andy Green’s 1,000 mph office, but it’s not your typical cubicle emblazoned with pictures of cute cats. Made from a complex monocoque (single-piece shell) crafted from layers of carbon fiber, it’s understood to be the strongest safety-cell ever fitted in a racing car. Sitting central is a custom steering wheel that has been printed from powdered titanium to the exact profile of Andy’s hands and which contains buttons for the rocket, parachute and air brakes. On the floor are two pedals for the jet engine throttle and wheel brakes.
Three screens display performance information and system status. Should these somehow fail while hurtling along, there are also more retro-style Rolex dials serving as a backup. Should this not already be enough for the driver to focus on while trying to break the land speed record, there is also a bewildering array of control switches. In the event of a power failure there are backups for safety critical systems, including levers for shutting off the supply of fuel to the jet engine and deploying the parachutes.
Other details of the car which jumped out at us included the wheels. On the exposed side were the traditional-looking runway wheels, which will be used in slower tests, while on the complete-looking side were solid aluminum wheels. These each weigh 198 lb (90 kg), measure 35 in (900 mm) in diameter and will be used for the hopefully record-setting runs, where at top speed they will spin 177 times per second.
We were also intrigued by the 12 cameras which cover the car, and will be used to stream and record the action. The camera on the fin, which can be displayed on one of the screens in the cockpit, will also offer RAF Wing Commander Andy Green a back-up view should his view become obstructed. While exhibition visitors should be able to see this in action, it wasn’t working correctly during our visit.
Outside we got to see the Supacat, which will be on hand and kitted out with fire and rescue equipment. It’s also fitted with a 1,500-liter (396 US gal) water tank, which would be used to dilute the concentrated hydrogen peroxide (High Test Peroxide) in the event of a spillage.
The Mission Control Center – essentially an air traffic control for the desert – was also present, letting visitors see how the team will keep in contact with the car during the runs, and how it will stream the action to fans at home. We’re told that during the record attempts there won’t be too many people in here, with only key team members using the three main consoles and in contact with Andy.
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