But from last Thursday, 21 May, a replica of the jet- and rocket- powered car, designed to reach 1000mph (1610km/h), goes on display for about a month at the Sci-Bono Discovery Centre in Johannesburg.
The Bloodhound SSC, which is being built in Bristol, England, is just about complete and will soon undergo low-speed testing: 300-400km/h.
It will be flown to Upington, Northern Cape, from the UK around October and travel a further 260km to Hakskeen Pan on a special trailer in preparation for the world record attempt.
Weighing 7.5 tons, the Bloodhound is powered by three engines "" a jet engine, auxiliary power unit and rocket engine "" producing more than 100000kW.
The world record attempt is set to break driver Andy Green's current record of 1227.99km/h set in the Thrust SSC (supersonic car) nearly 20 years ago.
School pupils and members of the public will get a chance to experience what Green will go through in the Bloodhound Driving Experience simulator.
Though the apparatus is not a simulator as such, it requires the virtual driver to control the jet and rocket power by accelerating each one at the right rate and time.
Dr Frank Kienhöfer, from the Wits Aero Society, said the project was a unique initiative from the Institution of Mechanical Engineers and hoped young aspirant engineers found it interesting.
Source: Herald
