Back on track for world record attempt

31st January 2017

Anna Flockett

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It has been confirmed that the world’s fastest car is heading over to South Africa in October 2017 for its first high speed run, which means that it is all systems go for the Bloodhound SSC project team at Poynting Antennas. South Africa based Poynting Antennas designed, tested and built the tailfin-antenna that will live stream both the 2017 attempt and the ultimate record breaking attempt somewhere in 2018.

Michael Howard, CEO of Poynting Antennas, said: “Our antenna has been tested and approved by the team from Bloodhound SSC and it is fitted to the current vehicle. Now begins a process of careful disassembly, documenting and re-fitment of all components on the vehicle before any dynamic tests can begin.”

The custom-designed cross-polarised and, believe it or not, water cooled Poynting Antenna nestles in a small compartment on the tailfin of the Bloodhound SSC. It has been tested on Hakskeenpan using a supercharged Jaguar XKR and a L39 fighter jet trainer, but it has not had an opportunity to be tested on the vehicle.

“Our first in-car test will come in June 2017, when the Bloodhound SSC team tests the car in the town of Newquay, near Cornwall in England. Here the car will be tested at a relatively slow 354km/h to evaluate all components and test the data stream of in-car telematics and live-streaming video from our antenna,” said Dr Andre Fourie, Founder and Executive Chairman of Poynting Antennas.

After the UK-based tests the car, crew and equipment will be shipped to Hakskeenpan for a dry run in October 2017. During this run, the Bloodhound SSC will drive at 800mph or 1,287.48km/h, breaking the current world record of 763.035mph and setting the scene for a final run of 1,000mph somewhere in 2018.

Howard added: “It will be exactly 20 years since Andy Green broke the world land speed record in the Thrust Supersonic Car in October 1997 and so much has changed. This time, thanks to the Poynting antenna, we will be able to live stream the 800mph and 1,000mph record runs from inside the cabin from anywhere in the world.”