1,011 km/h is Bloodhound LSR’s new speed record

The Bloodhound LSR, aspiring to become the fastest-going land-bound vehicle in history, has successfully breached the 1,000 km/h mark.

Piloted by Andy Green in the Kalahari Desert, the ultrasonic car hit 1,011 km/h (628 mph) going in a straight line. This represents its engineer team’s greatest achievement so far, and lies not too far away from the current world record of 1,228 km/h (763 mph).

The team performs these test runs to ensure the Bloodhound LSR is stable enough before and after the run-up, and has enough downforce not to take off. The runs are limited in terms of engine power used: so far, the vehicle only utilizes its jet engine, although it also has a space rocket engine at the ready.

The ultimate goal of the project is to exceed 1,610 km/h (1,000 mph).