Bloodhound successfully tests its rocket

On Wednesday 3 October, the Bloodhound SSC team experienced its biggest milestone yet in the development of the world’s first 1,000mph car, with the successful test of its rocket. At 4 metres long, 45.7 cm in diameter and 450kg in weight, the rocket was the biggest to be fired in the UK for 20 years.

On Wednesday 3 October, the Bloodhound SSC team experienced its biggest milestone yet in the development of the world’s first 1,000mph car, with the successful test of its rocket. At 4 metres long, 45.7 cm in diameter and 450kg in weight, the rocket was the biggest to be fired in the UK for 20 years.

At around 2pm in a Hardened Air Shelter (HAS) near Newquay airport, a Cosworth F1 engine began to rev. As it reached 16,600 rpm it fired a liquid oxidiser into the largest rocket of its kind ever designed in Europe at a pressure of 820lbs per square inch, with enough flow to fill a bathtub in 5 seconds. The oxidiser combined with a synthetic rubber fuel and reacted with a fine mesh of silver to deliver 14,000lbs of thrust and, at 185 decibels, an ear-splitting roar that the organisers claim would have been the loudest noise on the planet for the ten seconds that the rocket was fired.

The test was a success, delivering 820 psi – 20 more than the engineers were expecting – as well as a telephone book’s worth of data for the team to sift through. “It went very well”, Daniel Jubb, the 28 year-old designer of the rocket system, told the BBC after the test. “The initial analysis suggests the rocket performed beyond our expectations. From what I could see, it looked very smooth indeed; and from the sound, there was not a lot of fluctuation - very steady. But we need to look closely at the chamber pressure trace. It's an excellent place to go forward."

The test, which attracted a huge crowd of engineers, sponsors and over 100 journalists from across the world, was not just a chance to see Bloodhound’s impressive engineering in action. It also put a strong emphasis on the educational aspect of the project. A speech by Chris Kirby, the Bloodhound project’s educational advisor, was coupled with educational activities involving local schoolchildren and hosted by volunteers including Alan Blanch AMIMechE, Chair of the Institution’s Devon & Cornwall Young Members Panel.

“It was a special day to be involved in,” Alan said after the event, “where the Bloodhound project reached a very real and exciting stage. Consider the ingredients: a hybrid rocket, a Cosworth F1 engine and a fuel pump from a ballistic missile. I had very high expectations of what I was going to observe, all of which were surpassed over the course of the day.”

“Working with the with the school kids morning in the morning was very rewarding. I’ve been into a lot of schools and given talks on my experiences in engineering, however with Bloodhound it is so much more real; they can see the engineering in practice in front of them. It’s a great way to inspire the younger generation and get them excited about engineering.”

Institution staff also attended the test to launch new educational toolkits, which will be available to all of the Institution’s ambassadors. The Institution is the educational sponsor of Bloodhound SSC and created the toolkits to help encourage and inspire the next generation of scientists and engineers. They contain all the resources needed when presenting in schools, such as Bloodhound balloon kits, pens, posters and worksheets in line with the national curriculum. A Tomorrow’s Engineers resources pack is also included containing ‘what is engineering’ leaflets, postcards and posters with featured case studies.

This iconic British engineering project has the potential to create a lasting legacy for the next generation of engineers, as Professor Isobel Pollock CEng FIMechE, President of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, said before the test: "The Bloodhound project is much more than a world record attempt. It is a golden opportunity to show the younger generation how exciting an engineering career can be. The UK faces an engineering skills shortage that threatens to derail many sectors of the economy. Presenting young people with such a perfect example of the ingenuity, skill and drive that defines British engineering is a great way to encourage more people into the profession."

Following the success of the rocket test, Andy Green – the ex-RAF pilot who is due to make the world record attempt in South Africa – took part in an annual joint event held by the Bedfordshire & Cambridge Area committee and Royal Aeronautical Society (RAeS) Cambridge branch at Cambridge University on 11 October, 2012.

Over 400 members, school children, experienced engineers and university students turned up to watch Andy speak about the aerodynamics and design challenges the Bloodhound team face. Reflecting on the lecture, Institution member and event co-ordinator Dr Sylvain Jamais CEng FIMechE said: “This was possibly our best event ever. I highly recommend a talk by Andy Green on the Bloodhound project to anyone who hasn’t had the opportunity yet. The audience were nailed to the floor and you could literally hear jaws dropping as he spoke about the car and his background. It was a great honour to be a part of this.”

Michael Hawkins CEng FRAeS MIMechE, Chairman of RAes Cambridge branch, echoed Dr Jamais’ thoughts:  “Andy’s extraordinary enthusiasm was totally infectious. I looked around several times from our vantage point down in the left hand corner and the audience, all of them, were completely transfixed.  If that doesn't inspire the younger generation, then I think we can safely say that nothing will.”

To watch the Bloodhound rocket test, go to: http://www.bloodhoundssc.com/news/hybrid-rocket-firing-3-oct-12

Photography by © Robin Aveling, RAeS Cambridge Branch Photographer