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A bid to accelerate to 1,000 miles per hour

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by Dane, Sep 27, 2012.

  1. Dane
    Joined: May 6, 2010
    Posts: 1,351

    Dane
    Member
    from Soquel, CA

    http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/09/27/uk-science-speed-record-idUSLNE88Q00R20120927

    (Reuters) - This time next year, British fighter pilot Andy Green will strap himself into a rocket-powered car for test runs in a bid to accelerate to 1,000 miles per hour (1,600 kilometres per hour) and smash his own land speed record.

    That's the plan. In the meantime, the team building the Bloodhound supersonic car faces a milestone on October 3 - they will test-fire the rocket they hope will push it through the sound barrier and well past the existing record of 763 mph set 15 years ago.​

    It will be the biggest rocket test in Britain for about 20 years and will bring together the components of the rocket, including a Cosworth Formula One engine that will be used just to pump fuel into the combustion chamber.
    "This is the first time we have brought all the elements together," said Mark Chapman, the project's chief engineer who has a background in aerospace design that included work on the Joint Strike Fighter.
    Chapman said a flawless test run would be the best outcome next week but an explosion that provides lessons and drives design improvements would also be counted a success.​

    "The worst thing that could happen is for nothing to happen," he told reporters.​

    The rocket will be tested in a bomb-proof military hangar at Newquay airport in southwest England with the team in a control room 250 metres away.​

    Dan Jubb, the project's 28-year-old self-taught rocket engineer who sports an impressive handlebar moustache, said the team will leave the doors on the test hangar slightly ajar in case there is an explosion.
    "Evidence from the past, when bits of ordnance have gone off unexpectedly, suggests it does have a tendency to blow the doors off," he said.​

    The rocket will be run at a third of its full capacity of 27,500 pounds of thrust, equivalent to 80,000 horsepower - or the combined output of 95 Formula One cars.​

    Subsequent tests running through spring next year will gradually ramp up the power.​

    Bloodhound will attack 1,000 mph on a dry lake bed called Hakskeen Pan in South Africa's Northern Cape region in 2014, using a jet engine from a Eurofighter Typhoon on loan from Britain's Ministry of Defence, coupled with the hybrid rocket that will use a mix of solid and liquid fuel.​

    THE RACE IS ON
    The race for the land speed record is hotting up again after a 15-year lull following Andy Green's 1997 record in Thrust SSC, and rivals are nipping at Bloodhounds heels.​

    The North American Eagle project in the United States has a car its volunteer team believes will break the existing record and could do that before Bloodhound is driven at full speed.
    The Aussie Invader project led by Rosco McGlashan is more ambitious, with a target of 1,000 mph in a rocket car that runs on liquid oxygen and bio-kerosene to produce about 200,000 horsepower. The Australians are also aiming for 2013/14.​

    From New Zealand, the Jet Black team also has its hat in the ring with a jet engine and hybrid rocket combination, like Bloodhound.
    Three people in the Bloodhound bid cut their teeth on the Thrust SSC project; driver Green, Scottish entrepreneur Richard Noble, who himself held the land speed record from 1983 to 1997, and aerodynamics specialist Ron Ayers.​

    SECRET SAUCE
    Dan Jubb, whose entry in the qualifications section of his profile on the Bloodhound website reads "none", says the truly new part of his rocket design is in the way it burns the synthetic rubber solid fuel inside.
    The liquid fuel, High Test Peroxide HTP.L, burns hotter as it travels down the length of the tube, which means the solid fuel in most hybrid rockets burns more quickly towards the rear end.​

    Jubb has designed a solid fuel mix with a secret ingredient that produces a more even burn, increasing the efficiency of the rocket. He said commercial space flight companies have expressed interest in the technology, but declined to name them.​

    Pio Szyjanowicz, a spokesman for Cosworth, said Bloodhound is "a mash-up of different technologies" that has provided some useful feedback into the company's aerospace division.​

    The pump, which is driven by Cosworth's Formula One engine to fire the liquid fuel into the rocket, is a modified version of one from a 1960s Blue Steel cruise missile.​

    "There have been some interesting bits of know-how in how to drive the pump," Szyjanowicz told Reuters, adding that working out how to control the pump and the "interesting torque demands" have informed the company's business that makes pumps for raising and lowering landing gear on planes.​

    PASSENGER OR DRIVER?
    It's easy to imagine that Andy Green will simply be a passenger once Bloodhound's engines light up and send it hurtling down the 12-mile course.​

    But the team say the forces on the car mean driving it will require immense skill. It will take 15 seconds to reach 100 mph but then just 25 seconds to go from 100 mph to 1,000 mph.​

    "Bloodhound will slide all the way down the track and at 1,000 mph it will be more like a boat with the front wheels acting like rudders," said Knight.
    Those forces call for extreme attention to detail in the design. Even a variation in the thickness of the paintwork could cause an asymmetric shockwave which could make the car veer dangerously.​

    The lake-bed track requires the same level of attention. Its 19-km (12-mile) length is being cleared of about 6,000 tonnes of stones. It is also 500 metres (1,650 feet) wide since the car's metal wheels will cut ruts so each track can only be used once.​

    So why has the Thrust SSC record stood for so long? "We moved the bar too high," said Bloodhound spokesman Richard Knight. "Every mile an hour beyond the supersonic record is uncharted territory. It's 'here be dragons'".​

    (Editing by Mark Heinrich)​
     
  2. PeteFromTexas
    Joined: Apr 4, 2007
    Posts: 3,837

    PeteFromTexas
    Member

  3. bykerlad
    Joined: Mar 14, 2009
    Posts: 260

    bykerlad
    Member
    from australia

    its simple, speed and poms (english men ) go hand in hand,just look at the list......
     
  4. BLUMEANIE
    Joined: Apr 26, 2011
    Posts: 183

    BLUMEANIE
    Member
    from St. Louis


  5. the-rodster
    Joined: Jul 2, 2003
    Posts: 6,945

    the-rodster
    Member

    I wish someone would pick up where Steve Fossett left off, with the Spirit of America.

    Rich
     
  6. rottenleonard
    Joined: Nov 7, 2008
    Posts: 1,993

    rottenleonard
    Member

    Wow, 15 seconds to 100MPH and 25 more seconds to 1000MPH
     
  7. Fenders
    Joined: Sep 8, 2007
    Posts: 3,921

    Fenders
    Member

    Even a variation in the thickness of the paintwork could cause an asymmetric shockwave which could make the car veer dangerously.

    No paint - polished aluminum.

    1,000 -- nice round number.
     
  8. Nailhead Brooklyn
    Joined: Jul 31, 2012
    Posts: 567

    Nailhead Brooklyn
    Member

    I'd shit my pants...
     
  9. I ♥ pistons.
     
    Last edited: Sep 27, 2012
  10. GeezersP15
    Joined: Dec 4, 2011
    Posts: 555

    GeezersP15
    Member
    from N.E. PA

    I'd bet they'll be no texting or talking on a cell phone on that ride.:eek:
     
  11. CADILLAC AL
    Joined: Feb 22, 2007
    Posts: 298

    CADILLAC AL
    Member
    1. oHIo

    OK, Now my head hurts. Who would not like to ride shotgun in that rig? I mean DAMN!!! Bucket list stuff.
    Cadillac Al:cool:
     
  12. dad-bud
    Joined: Aug 22, 2009
    Posts: 3,884

    dad-bud
    Member

    So this would be about a traditional jet / rocket / F1 Cosworth pumping fuel land-bound aeroplane style hot rod, then would it? Is this a roadster or a spedster then?
    It better bloody well have big n little metal wheels - I wonder it they are going to paint white walls on them - of course they'd better make sure the paint thickness is the same all the way around or the planet may stop turning.
     
  13. Dan10
    Joined: Aug 14, 2007
    Posts: 386

    Dan10
    Member
    from Joplin

    I'd have a hard time calling this a "land" speed record. It's not like anything will really be touching the ground at a thousand mph. Land speed to me would be wheel driven. Cool no doubt but I just see it as a rocket flying real low.
     
  14. This is out of site....25 seconds to go from 100MPH to 1000MPH Now that is a kick ass passing gear.
     
  15. propwash
    Joined: Jul 25, 2005
    Posts: 3,857

    propwash
    Member
    from Las Vegas

    ...I feel the need.....
     
  16. deto
    Joined: Jun 26, 2010
    Posts: 2,620

    deto
    Member

    hahahahah!
     
  17. Midget25
    Joined: May 2, 2012
    Posts: 168

    Midget25
    Member

    I have raced all my life,never got close to 1000 mph but there is no way I would want any part of that.Especially riding "SHOTGUN" I will wacth for this deal to happen.............
     
  18. Sphynx
    Joined: Jan 31, 2009
    Posts: 1,141

    Sphynx
    Member
    from Central Fl

    Ok so this pertains to traditional hotrods as rap music does to classical jazz....
     
  19. 2935ford
    Joined: Jan 6, 2006
    Posts: 3,843

    2935ford
    Member

    Wow is right!
    I don't have the guts to try someting like that!

    Talk about a blurrrrrrrr!
     
  20. Ford blue blood
    Joined: Jan 4, 2009
    Posts: 757

    Ford blue blood
    Member

    Agreed....
     
  21. tfeverfred
    Joined: Nov 11, 2006
    Posts: 15,791

    tfeverfred
    Member Emeritus

    Well, they had rockets in the 50's. So it's traditional.

    Wanted to get that lame excuse in before the NEO's get here.
     
  22. JEM
    Joined: Feb 6, 2007
    Posts: 1,040

    JEM
    Member

    Yeah it's not 'traditional' but anything LSR-related gets me interested.

    Though really I'm sure they've got to have aerodynamic ride-control systems that have more in common with low-flying attack aircraft than anything normally wheel-borne.
     
  23. Sphynx
    Joined: Jan 31, 2009
    Posts: 1,141

    Sphynx
    Member
    from Central Fl

    I almost bet good money there is a sight for LSR and even for rockets and such. If this was about the history of LSR and it went back to the roots I wouldnt mind but this is not HAMB friendly. Im with the next guy but latley shit has been getting out of control. I come here for traditional cars and like minded people and related things. If I want to sew the news I go to the news channel same for the weather and if my O/T daily driver breaks down I go to a web site for that. I sat in a Dr Office one day an:(i:eek:d there was this guy going on and on about a football game that I had not watched finally I started talking about my project truck and everything I had done to it my future plans and everyrhing that pertains to my truck. He had this why would I give a fuck look on his face. I stopped and saod exactly I dont give two shits about football. My next thread I start is going ro be about a Honda civic rhat euns in the 12s because anything that doea with fast cars I like and that means you will all like it. :D:eek:
     
  24. EnglishBob
    Joined: Jan 19, 2008
    Posts: 1,029

    EnglishBob
    Member

    If you don't like it it's easy,report it or move on instead of whining.
    So many wannabe moderators.
     
  25. oldandkrusty
    Joined: Oct 8, 2002
    Posts: 2,141

    oldandkrusty
    Member

    If land speed racing isn't traditional, I sure as shit don't know what is! The need for speed is certainly cast into the soul of all hot rodders and to seek a record on the salt, or any flat piece of land, certainly qualifies whoever tries as a traditionalist. If you can't dig that, I can only scratch my head and wonder WTF!!!
     
  26. LSR purists break this stuff in to categories: Wheel driven, and non wheel driven. I can understand the point of breaking them in to categories, and while I very much admire and enjoy the wheel driven LS cars more, it doesn't mean that I don't respect the rocket age cars. I think all that the purists are trying to point out is that the non-wheel driven cars aren't traditional in the sense that they like to think of it. If you look at it period wise, well those guys are wrong. Rocket powered cars were around in that period, end of story. Obviously not as early as the wheel driven guys, and may be that is where they take issue. If you look at it in the way that even the racers of the era looked at it, well, then the people calling it not traditional are correct. But hey, who's not to say that the wheel driven racers of the era weren't a little jealous of guys showing up with jet engines, and blowing their records away. It's all about perspective I guess. While I agree that this has very little to do with traditional hot rodding, I sure do respect the guy willing to strap his butt in to that machine, the spirit is still there.
     
    Last edited: Sep 27, 2012
  27. Sphynx
    Joined: Jan 31, 2009
    Posts: 1,141

    Sphynx
    Member
    from Central Fl

    Agreed but still not traditional Land speed...... Drag racing is cool but we dont post yesterdays drags unless it was traditional. We just read the news if you want to know currwnt events. And I guess I could report it bit then I wouldnt be much of a wannabe moderator now would I.
     
  28. propwash
    Joined: Jul 25, 2005
    Posts: 3,857

    propwash
    Member
    from Las Vegas

    I used to enjoy being involved in unlimited hydroplane racing. Soon as most of the big teams went to turbines, I became a dedicated spectator. Same thing with LSR cars - if your power plant doesn't drive the wheels....you're just flying low and touching the high spots. I've been a pilot since I was a bit over 16, and I love airplanes and appreciate the tailburner jockies, but I can't get excited about LSR or UHydros if they don't have a conventional internal combustion piston engine in them. Just tain't right, dontcha know....
     
  29. RichFox
    Joined: Dec 3, 2006
    Posts: 10,020

    RichFox
    Member Emeritus

    You might not want to tell Craig Breedlove that. Pretty near everybody considered him a Hot Rodder.
     
  30. aircap
    Joined: Mar 10, 2011
    Posts: 1,748

    aircap
    Member

    I got a grand that says they won't break 1000MPH on land until we are all dead & buried.
     

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