On Wednesday 18th November, Year 8 gathered in the hall for a presentation about the latest attempt to break the land speed world record. Set in 1997 by Thrust SSC, the current record stands at 763mph which is faster than the speed of sound.

The new project is called Bloodhound SSC and the team are looking to break the 1,000mph barrier. Two representatives from the organisation came to talk to us about the designs and challenges that they face. They explained that Bloodhound SSC will be powered by a jet engine from an RAF Euro-fighter and also a rocket engine. Together these will propel the car towards the 1,000mph target speed.

Each test run cost £10,000! We watched a video of the car as it approached the speed of sound - there were lots of screaming sounds coming from the air around the vehicle. The screaming was the sound of shockwaves building up in front of the car and going over the cockpit. Needless to say it looked like a very uncomfortable ride!

The Bloodhound team consists of scientists, engineers and mathematicians from all sorts of different backgrounds. One of the reasons for making the Bloodhound SSC car is to encourage people to see the importance of Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths and perhaps to consider these areas as future career options. Hopefully, in a few years time, the car will break the 1,000mph, but perhaps more importantly, it will also inspire young people to consider a career in one of these important and exciting areas and put the UK back at the forefront of science and technology.

Hannah Storey, Jacob Turnham, David Arnaud, Mr White