You remember the Bloodhound SSC (super-sonic car), right? The long-delayed high-speed vehicle that was supposed to grace South African shores this October? Yeah, it has definitely been delayed again but there’s some progress in the shape of a rocket-engine test-fire.
That’s right, the engineering team behind the fastest (and most complex, according to them) motor vehicle in the world — that is assuming everything works according to expectations — has finally put that Eurofighter Typhoon EJ200 engine to the test, kicking it up to afterburner. The test involved tethering the Bloodhound SSC to the ground.
According to Bloodhound’s Stuart Edmondson, “Witnessing the EJ200 jet engine at maximum reheat is a fantastic experience. Not only can you see the shock diamonds and hear the deafening noise, you can physically feel the power of the engine as your body shakes.” He’s not kidding about the noise, either. The short video of the test (below) features a very prominent noise warning for a reason.
You’re not going to see the Bloodhound here in South Africa for some time. Several delays have cropped up, mostly to do with funding, to push the date back. A 2018 South African appearance was slated but even that has been scratched off the post. According to Richard Knight, Bloodhound’s comms director, “As things currently stand we will not be deploying in 2018.”
Which sounds like there’s still a slight possibility that we could see it next year — probably not, though. No later date has been mentioned either, so it’ll likely be ready when it is ready at this point. The Bloodhound SSC is scheduled to undergo its 200mph (320km/h) runway tests in Newquay in the UK, from 26 to 28 October. There will be a 14:30 (local time) live-stream of some of the runway runs on 26 October. We’ll keep you posted about how to access the live-stream once those details become available.