The BLOODHOUND Project today announced a revised schedule for the running of its Land Speed Racing car, BLOODHOUND SSC, which debuted to international acclaim in September 2015. UK runway trials are planned for later in 2016 with the first (800mph) record attempt projected to take place the following year.
The revised dates reflect the fact that, although interest in and support for the Project have never been greater (a capacity crowd of over eight thousand came to view the completed car when it was put on show for two days at Canary Wharf, London), a number of major funding deals are still in negotiation.
Project Director Richard Noble said, “The most difficult part is behind us: we have designed and built the world’s ultimate racing car and prepared the best land speed racing track in history. We’ve also created a successful inspiration programme operating in 33 countries around the world.
“What we need now are the funds to run the car and money is just a function of perseverance and timing. Doing something truly unique, on a global scale, with such high technology, is never easy – ask Richard Branson or Elon Musk, but that makes the story we’re sharing with millions of supporters all the more interesting.
“Most importantly, the Project is achieving its primary goal even without the car running: we’re turning kids on to science and engineering. Over 100,000 children took part in BLOODHOUND lessons or events in the UK last year, with many more involved internationally including almost 1,200 schools registered on the education programme in South Africa..By Easter this year, 150 regional centres (hubs) will be running our model rocket car competition, now the flagship activity for the BBC micro:bit programme. This means every Year 7 student in the UK will have access to, and support for, the Micro:bit Model Rocket Car Competition. Further up the age range, universities involved with the Project have reported significant increases in the number of students applying to study engineering, with the University of the West of England (UWE) doubling its undergraduate engineering intake, thanks to BLOODHOUND.
“Setting some Land Speed Records will amplify all this, of course, and get the world watching but we should not forget that this is what success really looks like.”
