Shooting for 1,000 mph on land

[Steve Pace]

Here's something new. For more go to Bloodhound SSC...

 

[shockonlip]

So, yes it's cool and all, but what I say is: so what!

I say that because this seems ho-hum compared to what the 846th Test
Squadron of the USAF at Holloman AFB is doing with their Mach 9 vehicle!

USAF Mach 9 vehicle !

Say what!

The USAF 846th Test Squadron has this cool Mach 9 rocket sled (multi-stage sled).
It accelerates so fast, no mere human can ride it! I mean ... WOW!

So 1000 mph on land, vs around 6000 mph on land (OK on a track which is on land).

I'm having a hard time getting excited about Bloodhound !

And I'm a serious car guy too!

 

[Sferrin]

So, yes it's cool and all, but what I say is: so what!

I say that because this seems ho-hum compared to what the 846th Test
Squadron of the USAF at Holloman AFB is doing with their Mach 9 vehicle!

USAF Mach 9 vehicle !

Say what!

The USAF 846th Test Squadron has this cool Mach 9 rocket sled (multi-stage sled).
It accelerates so fast, no mere human can ride it! I mean ... WOW!

So 1000 mph on land, vs around 6000 mph on land (OK on a track which is on land).

I'm having a hard time getting excited about Bloodhound !

And I'm a serious car guy too!

but would you strap yourself in that 6000 mph+ rocket sled?

 

[shockonlip]

Hi.

No I wouldn't. Indeed a human couldn't withstand the acceleration without
augmented capability or tolerance. Maybe that's where this should go.

But then why should I be interested in 1000 mph, when something pushing
6000 mph has been done. Yes it's on a track, but the whole thing is about
land speed.

This is just me talking however.

If it turns you on, go for it!

 

[GeorgeA]

I guess the difference is the Bloodhound is piloted and, in theory, can be deployed at a (very) few sites, while the Holloman sled is tracked and unpiloted, thus the Bloodhound is a test of skill, planning, and courage. Or something like that.

At least the Bloodhound driver is an RAF wing commander Larry!

 

[shockonlip]

I guess the difference is the Bloodhound is piloted and, in theory, can be deployed at a (very) few sites, while the Holloman sled is tracked and unpiloted, thus the Bloodhound is a test of skill, planning, and courage. Or something like that.

At least the Bloodhound driver is an RAF wing commander Larry!

I seriously wish them well, and their vehicle is awesome cool!
and I will look at it with interest.

But don't forget what Holloman has done! I certainly won't !

And don't forget Col. John Paul Stapp, who went 632 mph
in Dec. 1954: 0 to 632 mph in 5 sec, and 632 mph to 0 in
1.4 sec!

Few people know that Col. Stapp was planning a 1000 mph run
in "Sonic Wind" in 1955 or so. The USAF axed that plan though
because they didn't think their sled technology was up to it then,
and they were also worried about Col. Stapp's health.

Turns out that Stapp lived to the ripe old age of 89 after 29 rocket
sled rides (he died in 1999).

Back to Holloman's Mach 9 achievement.

I would actually like for USAF to also use their hypersonic sled for
human acceleration tolerance improvement study. But there is
no mandate for that currently that I know of. And who knows
if there ever will be given the probable state of future advanced
aircraft development being for unmanned vehicles.

 

[GeorgeA]

Stapp of course had a long second career as an automotive safety advocate. The SAE's professional publication on safety is called the Stapp Journal.

In other wacky LSR news, these guys have a wingless, wheeled CF-104 with J-79 and are trying to break the Thrust SSC/Andy Green 763 mph record set on Black Rock Desert in NV:

http://www.landspeed.com/

 

[Steve Pace]

Stapp of course had a long second career as an automotive safety advocate. The SAE's professional publication on safety is called the Stapp Journal.

In other wacky LSR news, these guys have a wingless, wheeled CF-104 with J-79 and are trying to break the Thrust SSC/Andy Green 763 mph record set on Black Rock Desert in NV:

http://www.landspeed.com/

It's an F-104A used in part as a chase plane in the X-15 program. It's called the North American Eagle and it's shooting for 800 mph.

 

[shockonlip]

Stapp of course had a long second career as an automotive safety advocate. The SAE's professional publication on safety is called the Stapp Journal.

In other wacky LSR news, these guys have a wingless, wheeled CF-104 with J-79 and are trying to break the Thrust SSC/Andy Green 763 mph record set on Black Rock Desert in NV:

http://www.landspeed.com/

Is that really a CF-104?
There is a Cable TV program I saw on that vehicle (is that the retired IBM exec that is doing this?) where
the F-104 fuselage they found is one of the airframes that used to be one of the Edwards flight test
birds. In fact they indicated that Yeager had flown it and that it was one of the airframes scheduled
for conversion to NF-104 status at one time. It never was converted however.

Maybe I'm wrong here.

 

[Steve Pace]

Again, it's an F-104A from Edwards AFB.

 

[shockonlip]

Thanks Dude!

I think we responded at the same time!

 

[Steve Pace]

We must have. "Jinx, you owe me a Coke."

 

[quellish]

Again, it's an F-104A from Edwards AFB.

I have a couple of photos of it from the 2005 Edwards Open House.

 

[Steve Pace]

The car was formerly an F-104A-10-LO, S/N 56-0763.

 

[Archibald]

Stapp of course had a long second career as an automotive safety advocate. The SAE's professional publication on safety is called the Stapp Journal.

In other wacky LSR news, these guys have a wingless, wheeled CF-104 with J-79 and are trying to break the Thrust SSC/Andy Green 763 mph record set on Black Rock Desert in NV:

http://www.landspeed.com/

Is that really a CF-104?
There is a Cable TV program I saw on that vehicle (is that the retired IBM exec that is doing this?) where
the F-104 fuselage they found is one of the airframes that used to be one of the Edwards flight test
birds. In fact they indicated that Yeager had flown it and that it was one of the airframes scheduled
for conversion to NF-104 status at one time. It never was converted however.

Maybe I'm wrong here.

Both of you are correct. Yeager crashed an NF-104A in 1963. Two more existed, the last flew in 1971.

 

[FutureSpaceTourist]

The Bloodhound vehicle technical specification (VTS) has just been published.

There's a BBC article about it at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-11291646 and the on-line version of the VTS is at http://www.bloodhoundssc.com/car/facts_and_figures/vehicle_technical_spec.cfm. If you prefer to download the PDF is here. Pages 38 through to 43 cover the jet and rocket engines.

Attached images from VTS press release at http://www.bloodhoundssc.com/news/latest_news.cfm?widCall1=customWidgets.contentItem_show_1&cit_id=4838.

 

[Matej]

The model was displayed at Farnborough







...together with this:

 

[saintkatanalegacy]

interestingly flat rear section...

 

[Johnbr]

Do not for get the Aussies http://www.aussieinvader.com

 

[TomcatViP]

Bloodhound for sale*:

One careful driver: Make room in the garage... Bloodhound jet-powered car is up for sale

Price negotiable, but if you've got £8m to spare then the land speed record is up for grabs

www.theregister.com

*The perfect car for any of those like me that hate having to change a sparkplug in a transverse V-engine!

 

[uk 75]

There is only one man who can put America first....

 

[Foo Fighter]

I think the problem lies in there being more pressing things to think/worry about than 1,000 mph on land or anywhere else for that matter.