ThrustSSC

On 15 October 1997 Andy Green drove ThrustSSC across the Black Rock Desert in Nevada at an average of 1,227.985 km/h. It was the first car to break the sound barrier and the record still stands.

Context

ThrustSSC was powered by two Rolls-Royce Spey jet engines of the kind used in military fighters, giving about 100,000 horsepower in total by common estimates. It was led by Richard Noble, who had held the record earlier, and driven by Royal Air Force pilot Andy Green. The Black Rock Desert offered a flat, long dry lakebed with room for a very long run.

Official land speed records are set as the average of two runs in opposite directions within an hour, which cancels out any wind help. On 15 October 1997, the two runs averaged 1,227.985 km/h, or about 763 mph, and the speed was about Mach 1.02 in the conditions of the day. The speed of sound varies with air temperature, so the Mach number depends on conditions.

Just two days earlier the team had already gone supersonic on a single run. The record is still the highest recognised, though newer projects such as Bloodhound LSR have aimed to beat it. Land speed records for wheeled cars are certified by the FIA, the sport's governing body. The car was about 16.5 metres long and weighed more than ten tonnes, and the team used a long course so the car could build speed and then slow down safely.