Page 67 - MotorTrend (March 2020)
P. 67
LAND SPEED RECORD I FEATURE
THE GIANT, V-SHAPED WHEELS ACT MORE LIKE RUDDERS THAN WHEELS.
Norwegian rocket maker Nammo has Assuming the funding is in place, the
developed a mono-propellant rocket plan is to return to Hakskeen Pan in 2021
powered by concentrated hydrogen to attempt the record. “If we go in July
peroxide that decomposes into steam and August the temperature there ranges
and oxygen when pushed through a from 32 to 68 degrees F, which is great
special catalyst mesh and delivers about for the jet engine, great for the humans,
three-quarters the thrust of the Rolls- and great for the concentrated hydrogen
Royce jet engine. peroxide, which you don’t really want
Instead of a Jaguar V-8 internal sitting in steel containers on a hot desert
combustion engine powering the fuel floor,” Warhurst says. record-breaking run in 1997, triggering
pump, an electric motor will pump 42 The target? To average more than two almost simultaneous sonic booms.)
liters of fuel per second into the rocket 763.035 mph over a measured mile, in The science says it can be done. But
motor for 20 seconds. It’s a safer, more two directions. That means dealing with until Green has throttled up, lit the
compact, more reliable solution, and a debris flow from the front wheels that afterburner, ignited the rocket engine,
the weight of the batteries can be better can bend metal, countersteering against and driven Bloodhound through that mile
distributed in the car. The upgraded the gentlest crosswinds at 500 mph in 4.5 seconds or less—each way—it’s still a
electrical system will also allow Blood- and more, and going supersonic for an journey into the unknown.
hound engineers to replace hydraulically extended period, something no other “I don’t wrestle this every day,”
actuated systems with faster, more car has ever done. (Thrust SSC went Warhurst says. “I’m doing it because it
reliable electric ones. supersonic for just over a second on its should be done.” Q
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