Bloodhound LSR To Make 13 Test Runs And Hit 500 MPH (804km/h) In South Africa

The team behind the Bloodhound LSR has announced additional details about their upcoming high-speed tests in South Africa.

Road and Track reports that the LSR will shortly be sent over to the Kalahari Desert in South Africa for no less than 13 individual test runs. Each of these runs will be 50 mph (80 km/h) faster than the previous one, until the LSR reaches a top speed of 500 mph (804 km/h).

This is only about half of the eventual land speed record the team hopes to achieve, but it will be much faster than the previous 200 mph (320 km/h) test run that was made in the UK back in October 2017.

Also Read: Bloodhound LSR Preparing For High-Speed Tests In South Africa In October

Unlike the test conducted two years ago, the runs made this month will see the pneumatic tires replaced by solid aluminum discs that will eliminate the risk of a possible blowout. It will also be the first time aluminum discs are used by Bloodhound’s record breaker.

Power comes courtesy of a Rolls-Royce EJ200 jet engine that provides almost 10 tons of thrust. When the team returns to South Africa in 2020 or 2021 in chase of its ultimate goal of exceeding 1000 mph (1609 km/h), the jet engine will be accompanied by a monopropellant rocket system for added thrust.

“I’ve really enjoyed watching the team rise to the challenge over these past 6 months,” Bloodhound chief executive Ian Warhurst said. “Something which has been talked about and planned for so long is now really happening – and the team have taken it in their stride. Our fantastic new location in the center of a technical college at UTC Berkeley has really helped the project come alive – the project is now in new territory.”