Bloodhound is aiming at setting a land speed record of at least 800 mph (1288 kmh) next year in SA and is heading out to SA in 2 weeks for some high speed testing of the aerodynamics and stability. The main focus of these tests are to check if the steering will still function as when the car reaches over 645 kmh the front wheels grip on the surface changes and the front wheels become rudder-like aero devices. Engineering director Mark Chapman expects the car to go over 800 kmh during these tests.
A recent addition of a dry crank was installed in the car, which has the exhaust output of a smaller jet engine blown into it's intake to rotate the main motor. The Bloodhound uses a Rolls-Royce EJ200 Eurofighter gas turbine engine developing 54,000 horsepower. The Bloodhound will also be testing it's braking system on these test runs. The braking system consists of two parachutes as well as friction brakes that work best under 320kmh. Bloodhound will be driven by Andy Green, who is a former RAF pilot and current land speed record holder as he drove his Thrust SSC at 1227,93kmh.
The test runs will take place at Hakskeen Pan where the dry lake bed has been prepared by the local Mier community. The thirteen parallel tracks were prepared by removing 16,500 tonnes of stone by hand. Each track can only be used once as the cars aluminum wheels, which can't have any tires on as the speed of the car will throw them off the rims, will penatrate the surfaces of the tracks. If testing goes well Bloodhound will be back in SA for a world record attempt next year.
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