British engineers have today unveiled plans to shatter the world land speed record by surpassing the 1,000mph mark in the year 2010.
The project, led by Richard Noble - holder of the land speed record record for the past 25 years - will involve a Bloodhound Supersonic Car (SSC) that has secretly been in development for the past 18 months.
Bloodhound SSC is believed to cost in the region of £12m, and it could reach speeds of 1,050mph - that's quite a jump over the current record of 763mph and enough to outrun a bullet from a .357 Magnum revolver.
Fighter pilot Andy Green who set the current land speed record in Noble's Thrust SSC will once again be behind the wheel, and he'll be propelled by a Eurofighter Typhoon jet engine and rocket booster combination that'll provide 20,000kg of thrust.
A site for the 2011 record-breaking attempt hasn't yet been announced, but the Black Rock Desert in Nevada has been ruled out due to poor ground conditions. The team might want to consider somewhere closer to home, say... Swindon for example.
It isn't just about speed, mind you. Lord Drayson, Minister of Science in the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills, hopes that the feat of engineering will inspire a new generation of British scientists.
Bloodhound SSC should be built in around a year's time, but it faces plenty of challenges - the wheels will spin so fast that they're at risk of shredding to pieces, and there's the important matter of slowing down and coming to a stop.
The project also faces a race against time, as it isn't alone in the attempt to break land speed records. Spirit of America , North American Eagle and Aussie Invader 5R are three other SSCs hoping to set a new record in the near future.
