The Thrust SSC
The Thrust SSC
The Thrust SSC—Thrust SuperSonic Car—is not just quick, it’s VERY quick. Actually, this jet car currently holds the world land speed record, making it the fastest car in the world.
Not only did the Thrust SSC break records, it also broke the sound barrier. But that’s not all.
Setting Records
On October 15, 1997, in the Black Rock Desert in Nevada, the Thrust SSC was given a big job, and it certainly didn’t disappoint.
It was exactly 50 years plus a day since the sound barrier was broken in aerial flight by Chuck Yeager—and now they were attempting it with a land vehicle.
But this wasn’t the first attempt.
First Try
Less than a month earlier, on September 25, 1997, the Thrust SSC clocked in at a whopping speed of 1,149.303 km/h (714.144 mph).
But that just wasn’t fast enough.
The Sound Barrier
The speed at which sound travels is known as the sound barrier. In order for a vehicle to break the sound barrier, it has to travel about 1,207 km/h (750 mph).
When an object moves faster than sound, it causes a sonic boom—an impulsive noise similar to thunder.
Sonic Booms
Believe it or not, 50 years ago, the federal government banned all civilian supersonic flights over land, making it illegal to break the sound barrier. They felt the sonic booms were startling to the public, and could potentially cause property damage.
But the law said nothing about land vehicles breaking the sound barrier.
