Revving up to a new speed record in Africa's Kalahari Desert

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Hakskeenpan, South Africa: A loud hiss rips through the stillness of southern Africa's Kalahari Desert. Image Credit: AFP

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It sounds like a fighter jet flying low over the Hakskeen Pan, an isolated dry lake bed in South Africa's Northern Cape province, near the Namibian border. Image Credit: AFP

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Then a thick cloud of sand appears on the horizon, growing steadily as it draws near. Image Credit: AFP

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In the blink of an eye, a racing car shoots by with a deafening screech and pelts towards the opposite end of the salt pan. Image Credit: AFP

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There's still a way to go before the super racer is ready for that attempt, but today driver Andy Green is pleased. Image Credit: AFP

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The "Bloodhound" is gearing up to try to break the current land speed record, which stands at 760 miles per hour (1,223.657 kilometres per hour). Image Credit: AFP

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The British-built Bloodhound stands sleekly behind him, dust still hovering in its wake. Image Credit: AFP

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"We have reached 904 kph (561.72 mph)," he says, beaming as he lifts himself out of the cockpit, helmet in hand. Image Credit: AFP

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"First thing in the morning, plenty of thrust, nice calm wind, so the car ran absolutely straight." Image Credit: AFP

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The white parachute that helps it brake lies crumpled on the cracked ochre soil. Image Credit: AFP

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"Good parachute deployment," adds the Briton, as the vehicle is towed into a large air-conditioned tent nearby. Image Credit: AFP

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"That's pretty much the perfect run," he says. Image Credit: AFP

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The Bloodhound was designed exclusively for speed -- the team hopes, if possible, to get up to 1,000 mph. Image Credit: AFP

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The vehicle resembles a wingless jet on aluminium wheels, with a long white body topped by an engine and a stabiliser. Image Credit: AFP

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A view of the test track on which the British Bloodhound LSR (Land Speed Record) team are planning to beat the existing land speed record of 1228km/h with their jet-propelled car Image Credit: AFP

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The engine, built by Rolls Royce, once powered a Royal Air Force (RAF) Eurofighter Typhoon fighter jet. Image Credit: AFP

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A technician plugs a fuel hose into the jet-propelled British Bloodhound LSR (Land Speed Record) Image Credit: AFP

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In the Kalahari, safety is managed by the Bloodhound team's only female member, Jessica Kinsman. Image Credit: AFP

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A team of local people flatten and prepare the path to the test track on which the British Bloodhound LSR (Land Speed Record) team are planning to beat the existing land speed record of 1228km/h with their jet and rocket-propelled car(not visible) at Hakskeenpan in the Northern Cape Province Image Credit: AFP

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Andy Green checks the jet-propelled British Bloodhound LSR (Land Speed Record) car before a high-speed run Image Credit: AFP

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The jet-propelled British Bloodhound LSR (Land Speed Record) car drives at about 560km/h to test the air-brakes, visible towards the back of the car during preliminary tests Image Credit: AFP

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Andy Green walks on the test-track to do a run of the jet-propelled British Bloodhound LSR Image Credit: AFP

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Andy Green, the driver, gets into the jet-propelled British Bloodhound LSR (Land Speed Record) car for a high-speed run Image Credit: AFP

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A member of the technical team pours coolant into the jet-propelled British Bloodhound LSR (Land Speed Record) car before a run Image Credit: AFP

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The jet-propelled British Bloodhound LSR (Land Speed Record) car drives at about 900km/h during preliminary tests at Hakskeenpan Image Credit: AFP

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