Bloodhound SSC

[ChrisCwmbran]

Sadly, the Bloodhound SSC project, with its RAF Typhoon engine has run into some trouble:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-45838994

Lets hope someone will sort out the funding for this project.

[jem60]

I am usually a supporter of all things British, and I appreciate that progress in most things is important. I have to question though why it is necessary to drive across the sand at 1,000 m.p.h.!!! 748m.p.h. has already been achieved. So to add another 250 m.p.h. is going to cost another £25 million??. Then. 10 years later, someone will come up with the idea of going even faster on land WWWWHHHHHYYYYYYY?????. It does not benefit the world in any way, shape or form, so not much enthusiasm from me on this. Sorry.

[The Phantom]

Well I certainly hope they can raise the money needed - especially after getting so far with the project.
As someone pointed out on the news yesterday, the money they're after amounts to the price of one footballer in the Premiership.

1000mph on land is the last goal in land speed records - and for the British to achieve it would be fantastic, as well as being a showcase for our engineering skills etc.

[C24]

Possibly better to spend the money on repairing potholes in our roads by using our expertise in useful manner.

[Nighthawke]

There is never a "last goal" in anything. The challenge is always to improve and go faster, bigger, etc. to beat the previous record.

[jem60]

Is it more important to spend £25 million on 1,000 m.p.h.on sand, or better to improve things for the poor and needy.?? Anyway, it's not up to me to advise the public how to spend their money, but in my opinion this money will be hard to raise. Sceptical from me yet again, but I am an optimist with experience!.[Married to a serial pessimist].

[baz1]

boys with there toys expecting the general public to fun them so they look good they then get the praise.

[bizfreeq]

Where does it say they want money from the general public? All I can see is a plea to wealthy investors or corporate organisations to lend monetary support

[jem60]

Corporate organisations get their money from the likes of you and I [the general public] if we have invested with them. The CEOs etc., have to answer to the shareholders as to where the money may go!.

[Flatpack_39]

And £25 million in the hands of a CEO may well not go into a jet fighter engine-powered car (unless it's Elon Musk we're talking about), but would rather spend it for himself and/or his family: who would spend such a sum on a wheeled desert rocket when they can buy an oil emir-tier villa (An example, in Spain: https://tranio.com/spain/adt/1709856/) and retire there?
I don't know for you, but if a CEO gets himself a lavish house, I'll never get to see something great, but if the same sum is used to do something like the Bloodhound, it will be a fascinating technological prowess, boost national pride, and if you look further, it is an awesome demonstration of British technology and will grant BAE and other national companies some juicy contracts in the future.
Sure, it would be better to see this money used to get the homeless out of the street, or to start a social insertion program to put sensible youth in polite, well behavec societies before they become criminals, but if £25 million have to be blown on something extravagant, I'd rather have this extravagant thing create jobs here.

[ChrisCwmbran]

Sure, it would be better to see this money used to get the homeless out of the street, or to start a social insertion program to put sensible youth in polite, well behavec societies before they become criminals, but if £25 million have to be blown on something extravagant, I'd rather have this extravagant thing create jobs here.

£25m? Imagine a world where this figure is £13.9Bn and the country chose to spend the money on foreign pop bands and supporting countries with nuclear weapons and space programs rather than spending the money on these good causes...…….

And as for supporting the youth, shouldn't it be their parents ensuring that this happens, not the government?

[Supra]

In the OP's Link https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-45838994 there is some indication of heel-dragging? One minute quoting "ready to go" then saying not this year, without rockets in 2019, with1 rocket in 2020 & 'ready to go in 2021'!
I appreciate that they have to wait for the track to dry-out, but is that window of opportunity really so small that it's gonna take 3 years of useable seasons to do it? Which part of "now or never" do Bloodhound SSC not understand? I'm no Accountant but £25m isn't a great deal of money to keep this project rolling for the projected 4 years from now! Notwithstanding the cost & age crucial components that rot while we're waiting.
Of course there's the usual vague reporting...even though it's the Beeb. In one section of the link it says " Bloodhound would use a cluster of three Nucleus motors in addition to the Eurofighter EJ200 jet." ( Note...could save weight by ONLY using the 'engine' ) Then infers that one additional rocket motor in 2020 & perhaps 3 rocket motors in 2021.
Brexit will only have one effect in 2019, the UK will still be in a state of meltdown & certainly no better a situation than today. So, here's the deal! Be at Hakskeen Pan in 2019, good & early. Run it without rocket motors, tweak it for handling, fit all 3 rocket motors & DO IT!... or forever wonder what could have been. If it works...or if it doesn't, it's going to a Motor Museum after that anyway.

[paddyboy]

Well said, Chris

Well said Supra

I rest my case

[Nighthawke]

BBC reporting that project is now axed. More info here:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-bristol-46480342

[Nighthawke]

But now saved again according to the BBC:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-bristol-46591860

[jem60]

Saved is, perhaps, a slight exaggeration. Certainly, the project has been bought for not a lot of money but is far away from coming to fruition. But, then again, I thought that the Vulcan project would fail.............

[Nighthawke]

Must confess I didn't read the full article - still haven't - but saw the headline and posted in a brief work break.