Where Bloodhound failed, the Aussies will succeed.
Land speed records are the kind of specialized feats that can take millions of dollars and countless years to achieve. The team behind the Bloodhound jet car knows this all too well, and the car itself ended up being put for sale at the start of the year. The number of technical achievements that must be made to achieve some sort of success in such incredible endeavors is numerous, as was seen with Bloodhound using the engine of a Jaguar F-Type to power the fueling system alone. But that hasn’t deterred the people building Australia’s Invader 5R rocket car, and they want to break 1,000 mph – soon.
Aussie Invader
Aussie Invader
We first reported on the project back in 2012, which goes to show just how much time, research, development, and money go into seeing such a task through to completion. But with a “never say die” attitude and a single bi-propellant rocket capable of producing more than 62,000 pounds of thrust, the Aussie Invader has a good chance of being a success story. The 16-meter long car needs all of that thrust to propel the nine-tonne vehicle to its target v-max of 1,000 mph, but Rosco McGlashan (founder, designer, and pilot of the car) is confident that the Invader 5R has what it takes to achieve its goals.
In-house computer models have told the engineers that the Invader 5R’s power plant should be enough to launch it from 0-62 mph in around 1.1 seconds and will reach its top speed in less than 30 seconds. During this time, the rocket will burn through 2.8 tonnes of liquid propellant and oxygen at more than 1,832 degrees Fahrenheit.
Aussie Invader
Aussie Invader
Aussie Invader
With 35-inch tireless wheels made of solid aluminum and weighing over 308 lbs each, it will certainly need its 199,812 horsepower. The wheels themselves are impressive too, as they will need to withstand forces of 50,000 g at full speed. Hydraulic air brakes, parachutes, and disc brakes will all help bring the car to a stop. While accelerating to top speed in the Aussie outback will take around 3.1 miles, stopping will take another eight miles. We just hope it gets going in the first place, but with McGlashan already holding the Australian land speed record, the right people are certainly in charge of this project. Let’s hope it meets its goal of a record run sometime next year.
Aussie Invader
Aussie Invader
