1,000mph Car To Use Norwegian Rocket

Sorry, but I just don't see any intrinsic merit in achieving 1,000 mph on land. What possible useful spin-off could there be from this? Why not spend the money on making us a low cost, high mpg car - electric, diesel, hybrid, whatever.

'... Why not spend the money on making us a low cost, high mpg car - electric, diesel, hybrid, whatever...'

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...but it is a 'hybrid' (and probably a 'whatever' as well).

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All kidding aside, there well may be worthwhile advances that develop through this endeavor, possibly even some that benefit your favorite pet projects, 'low cost, high mpg cars'. It is difficult to put a collar on the future influence of thing not yet learned.

Yes, you are right it's a hybrid twice over. Jet and rocket, with hybrid fuel. I wonder how much this project is costing.

No clue, other than it will not qualify as 'low-cost' in any reasonable assessment.

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It is interesting to note that they are developing solid aluminum wheels that will be able to tolerate being struck at 1000+ mpg by road gravel. Solid aluminum wheels would certainly offer low rolling resistance, though cornering and braking would surely suffer. The suspension must be amazing to allow the jet engine to tolerate solid wheels on a dried lake bed at several hundred miles per hour.

Sounds like you must lead a very boring mundane life. You do this just to see if you can. Why must everything serve a useful purpose? Can't we just have fun sometimes? They will spend large amounts of money and some one will reap a benefit from that.

I see one technological leap; they'll be developing an all Aluminum wheel/tire capable of withstanding 10,000 rpm rolling speed, 50,000Gs and traveling at 1,000MPH.

That is, until the vehicle goes unstable and explodes into a million pieces.

I want a set for my pickup.

At least we hope they develop the wheels/tires. Did you see the rocket bike that Francois Gissy rode to 177mph? I am a part time bike builder / re-builder and they sure looked like basic stock wheels and tires from a cyclo-cross bike to me. (road bike raced on dirt in winter in case you're not a bike geek like me)

The thought of going 177mph on a bike with the stock parts is more frightening than this rocket car. I start worrying when I hit 60mph on a 20% grade descent.

"I start worrying when I hit 60mph on a 20% grade descent."

Sounds like you must lead a very boring mundane life.

That's on a 22mm road tire on a Trek road bicycle with standard caliper type brakes. Ever see what happens to the Pros when they crash at these speeds? Been a few of them killed. Did I mention I live in the sticks so the road is basically single lane and there are all kinds of nice curves in them. (probably not to you - but it's in many past posts)

Lyn, get this: they aren't developing a wheel/tire. It is just a solid aluminum wheel. With the rate of acceleration quoted as 500 - 1000 MPH in 17 seconds, it is hard to imagine these non-driven, low traction 'wheels' will spin fast enough to match the vehicle speed anywhere in the top range. The vehicle will probably be rapidly slowing by the time the wheels stop sliding. Sounds like a permanently derailed rocket sled.

I'm just quoting the web site.

Hmm. Maybe wheel/tire is the websites terminology for a solid wheel? I wonder if they would say trains utilize wheel/tires?

Jeez, I can't win.

I just used the term to keep someone from correcting me for using the wrong term.

How about we just call it a disk.

You just can't accept that you've already won.....but sure, disk will work as well.

This is a disaster waiting to happen.

Hopefully they have some type of gyroscopic stabilization system.

How do you stop the thing?

Lyn

I would strongly recommend that before you make any more half cocked remarks you do a little research in to the subject this would be a good place to start

http://www.bloodhoundssc.com/

Well, Big whoop!

Tell me genius, did you author these two statements?

"It is supersonic because it is designed to go faster than the speed of sound."

"It is a car because it has four wheels and is under full control of its driver."

I'm curious what your definition of "full control" is.

The schmoozy slick marketing campaign info in the link you provided doesn't address the significant problem of stability that Lyn pointed out. If anything, the information available only serves to strengthen concerns about the survivability of any one run. In particular, the details in the following graphic about how high it would fly if it were pointed up and the amount of force on the rim are cause for concern.

We should heed this sage advice: 33, offered by LongInTheTooth.

Cheers!

Mad Dogs and Englishmen go out in the midday sun.

New old news here? So they want to resurrect the Bloodhound, again.

I posted this unsurprisingly similar, (ok, exact) story waaaaaayyyyy back in 2009:

http://cr4.globalspec.com/thread/38727

You get the "First to Publish" award.

Sometimes the whole concept of doing something is to just prove it can be done for the first time!

I wish them well and hope they succeed!

Damn the cost and expense. Our governments waste far more doing far less and it's not even their time and money they do it with.

I'd give it about a 50-50 chance.