Aussie Invader and the Impossible Quest for 1000 MPH
Why go for 1000 mph? Simple. Because it’s impossible. The current land speed record, set by the Thrust SSC back in ’97, tops out at 763 mph. That’s blistering, but it’s not a round number that commands awe. Rosco isn’t interested in almost. He wants the holy grail of speed—the sound barrier broken on four wheels, and beyond.
This is no regular car. We’re talking 200,000 horsepower, 6.5 tons of fury, and rocket fuel pushing you harder than any jet. The engineering here makes fighter jets look tame. The body measures 55 feet long and has been shaped with care to slice through supersonic shockwaves without folding under pressure. Every inch of this beast has to endure forces intense enough to tear apart conventional vehicles—and even humans.
The wheels alone are a marvel. They’re giant blocks of aluminum, one solid piece, spinning at 10,000 RPM with no tires because tires would simply explode. Survival at speeds like this means a constant battle with physics—shockwaves, lift, and shifting weight as fuel burns away and the car’s balance changes. It’s a juggling act with no room for error.
| Stat | Aussie Invader 5R Specification |
|---|---|
| Length | 55 feet |
| Weight | 6.5 tons |
| Power Output | 200,000 horsepower |
| Thrust | 62,000 lbs |
| Engine Type | Liquid-propellant rocket |
| Top Target Speed | 1,000 mph (1,609 km/h) |
| Acceleration (to 1,000 mph) | ~20 seconds |
| Wheels | Solid aluminum (no tires) |
| Wheel Diameter | 900 mm |
| Wheel RPM at speed | 10,000 RPM |
| Track Length (run) | 24 km (approx. 15 miles) |
| Parachutes | Dual-stage (high/low speed deployment) |
| Braking | Air brakes + parachutes + disc brakes |
| Crew | Rosco McGlashan (driver/founder) |
| First Land Speed Attempt | Ongoing (development phase) |
Stopping is as much of a nightmare as going fast. Conventional brakes won't cut it. Instead, the team turned to aviation tricks: air brakes inspired by fighter jets and parachutes designed to slow the Invader from mind-bending speeds down to a safe crawl.
Rosco’s no stranger to risk or speed. He’s pushed motorcycles and cars harder than most dare. Yet even he says this project has thrown curveballs no one could truly plan for. There is no blueprint for the world’s fastest car. It’s an engineering experiment daring to face the unknown.
Why does he keep at it? Because sometimes the best answer to “Why?” is “Why the hell not?” This is a story about stubbornness, guts, and obsession. Rosco hopes not just to break records but to shatter barriers—literal and metaphorical.
Still, this is about human will meeting physics head-on—and firing a rocket car into history that no one thought possible. And if he succeeds, the 1000 mph club will be a blasted reality.
Land Speed Records
| Year | Record Speed | Driver | Vehicle | Power Source | Location |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1898 | 39 mph (63 km/h) | Count Gaston de Chasseloup-Laubat | Jeantaud Duc Electric | Electric motor | Acheres, France |
| 1899 | 66 mph (106 km/h) | Camille Jenatzy | La Jamais Contente | Electric motor | Achères, France |
| 1927 | 203 mph (327 km/h) | Henry Segrave | Sunbeam 1000 HP | Twin aero engines | Daytona Beach, USA |
| 1935 | 301 mph (484 km/h) | Malcolm Campbell | Blue Bird | Rolls-Royce V12 | Bonneville, USA |
| 1947 | 394 mph (634 km/h) | John Cobb | Railton Mobil Special | Twin Napier Lion aero | Bonneville, USA |
| 1964 | 403 mph (649 km/h) | Craig Breedlove | Spirit of America | Turbojet | Bonneville, USA |
| 1970 | 622 mph (1,001 km/h) | Gary Gabelich | Blue Flame | Rocket engine | Bonneville, USA |
| 1983 | 633 mph (1,019 km/h) | Richard Noble | Thrust 2 | Jet engine | Black Rock Desert, USA |
| 1997 | 763 mph (1,228 km/h) | Andy Green | Thrust SSC | Twin jet engines | Black Rock Desert, USA |
These are the milestone records from the birth of speed to the present day. The Aussie Invader team is now gunning for the next jaw-dropping mark: 1,000 mph.
