Revving up to a new speed record in Africa's Kalahari Desert

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Revving up to a new speed record in Africa's Kalahari Desert

The British Bloodhound LSR is a combination of a Formula 1 car, a jet and a spaceship

Published: December 10, 2019 13:10 AFP and Compiled by Christian Borbon, Digital Content Producer

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Copy of 088525-01-08-1575967166304 — Hakskeenpan, South Africa: A loud hiss rips through the stillness of southern Africa's Kalahari Desert. Image Credit: AFP

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Copy of 088552-01-08-1575967130297 — It sounds like a fighter jet flying low over the Hakskeen Pan, an isolated dry lake bed in South Africa's Northern Cape province, near the Namibian border. Image Credit: AFP

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Copy of 088538-01-08-1575967141284 — Then a thick cloud of sand appears on the horizon, growing steadily as it draws near. Image Credit: AFP

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Copy of 088544-01-08-1575967116650 — In the blink of an eye, a racing car shoots by with a deafening screech and pelts towards the opposite end of the salt pan. Image Credit: AFP

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Copy of 088547-01-08-1575967121080 — There's still a way to go before the super racer is ready for that attempt, but today driver Andy Green is pleased. Image Credit: AFP

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Copy of 088542-01-08-1575967150269 — The "Bloodhound" is gearing up to try to break the current land speed record, which stands at 760 miles per hour (1,223.657 kilometres per hour). Image Credit: AFP

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Copy of 088550-01-08-1575967128108 — The British-built Bloodhound stands sleekly behind him, dust still hovering in its wake. Image Credit: AFP

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Copy of 088515-01-08-1575967163187 — "We have reached 904 kph (561.72 mph)," he says, beaming as he lifts himself out of the cockpit, helmet in hand. Image Credit: AFP

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Copy of 088549-01-08-1575967125912 — "First thing in the morning, plenty of thrust, nice calm wind, so the car ran absolutely straight." Image Credit: AFP

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Copy of 088508-01-08-1575967156402 — The white parachute that helps it brake lies crumpled on the cracked ochre soil. Image Credit: AFP

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Copy of 088536-01-08-1575967136761 — "Good parachute deployment," adds the Briton, as the vehicle is towed into a large air-conditioned tent nearby. Image Credit: AFP

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Copy of 088545-01-08-1575967118905 — "That's pretty much the perfect run," he says. Image Credit: AFP

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Copy of 088539-01-08-1575967143491 — The Bloodhound was designed exclusively for speed -- the team hopes, if possible, to get up to 1,000 mph. Image Credit: AFP

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Copy of 088533-01-08-1575967172948 — The vehicle resembles a wingless jet on aluminium wheels, with a long white body topped by an engine and a stabiliser. Image Credit: AFP

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Copy of 088548-01-08-1575967123260 — A view of the test track on which the British Bloodhound LSR (Land Speed Record) team are planning to beat the existing land speed record of 1228km/h with their jet-propelled car Image Credit: AFP

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Copy of 088541-01-08-1575967147742 — The engine, built by Rolls Royce, once powered a Royal Air Force (RAF) Eurofighter Typhoon fighter jet. Image Credit: AFP

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Copy of 088543-01-08-1575967153878 — A technician plugs a fuel hose into the jet-propelled British Bloodhound LSR (Land Speed Record) Image Credit: AFP

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Copy of 088537-01-08-1575967139098 — In the Kalahari, safety is managed by the Bloodhound team's only female member, Jessica Kinsman. Image Credit: AFP

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Copy of 088540-01-08-1575967145760 — A team of local people flatten and prepare the path to the test track on which the British Bloodhound LSR (Land Speed Record) team are planning to beat the existing land speed record of 1228km/h with their jet and rocket-propelled car(not visible) at Hakskeenpan in the Northern Cape Province Image Credit: AFP

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Copy of 088529-01-08-1575967170647 — Andy Green checks the jet-propelled British Bloodhound LSR (Land Speed Record) car before a high-speed run Image Credit: AFP

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Copy of 088535-01-08-1575967134772 — The jet-propelled British Bloodhound LSR (Land Speed Record) car drives at about 560km/h to test the air-brakes, visible towards the back of the car during preliminary tests Image Credit: AFP

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Copy of 088553-01-08-1575967132752 — Andy Green walks on the test-track to do a run of the jet-propelled British Bloodhound LSR Image Credit: AFP

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Copy of 088527-01-08-1575967168452 — Andy Green, the driver, gets into the jet-propelled British Bloodhound LSR (Land Speed Record) car for a high-speed run Image Credit: AFP

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Copy of 088510-01-08-1575967159028 — A member of the technical team pours coolant into the jet-propelled British Bloodhound LSR (Land Speed Record) car before a run Image Credit: AFP

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Copy of 088514-01-08-1575967161030 — The jet-propelled British Bloodhound LSR (Land Speed Record) car drives at about 900km/h during preliminary tests at Hakskeenpan Image Credit: AFP

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