List of vehicle speed records
The following is a list of speed records for various types of vehicles. This list only presents the single greatest speed achieved in each broad record category; for more information on records under variations of test conditions, see the specific article for each record category. As with many world records, there may be some dispute over the criteria for a record-setting event, the authority of the organization certifying the record, and the actual speed achieved.
Land vehicles
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/0d/ThrustSSC.jpg/220px-ThrustSSC.jpg)
By type of vehicle
Category | Speed (km/h) | Speed (mph) | Vehicle | Operator | Date | Certifier | References |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Land speed record[a] | 1,227.985 | 763.035 | ThrustSSC | Andy Green | 15 Oct 1997 | FIA | [2] |
Wheel-driven[b] | 745.187 | 463.038 | Vesco Turbinator II | Dave Spangler | 14 Aug 2018 | SCTA | [3][4] |
Piston-driven[c] | 722.204 | 448.757 | Challenger 2 | Danny Thompson | 12 Aug 2018 | SCTA | [6] |
Motorcycle[d] | 605.698 | 376.363 | Ack Attack | Rocky Robinson | 25 Sep 2010 | FIM | [7] |
Diesel-powered[e] | 563.998 | 350.452 | JCB DieselMax | Andy Green | 23 Aug 2006 | FIA | [8] |
Electric-powered[e] | 550.627 | 342.144 | Venturi VBB‑3 Streamliner | Roger Schroer | 19 Sep 2016 | FIA | [8] |
Radio-controlled car (rocket) | 338.14 | 210.11 | Black Knight | Anthony Lovering | 4 May 2016 | GWR | [9][10] |
Radio-controlled car (battery) | 325.12 | 202.02 | RC Bullet | Nic Case | 25 Oct 2014 | GWR | [11][12] |
Steam-powered[e] | 238.679 | 148.308 | Inspiration | Don Wales | 25 Aug 2009 | FIA | [8] |
Wind-powered[f] | 203.09 | 126.19 | Ecotricity Greenbird | Richard Jenkins | 26 Mar 2009 | NALSA | [13] |
Human-powered[g] | 144.17 | 89.58 | AeroVelo Eta | Todd Reichert | 17 Sep 2016 | IHPVA | [15] |
Solar-powered[h] | 91.332 | 56.751 | Sky Ace TIGA | Kenjiro Shinozuka | 20 Aug 2014 | GWR | [16] |
Tracked vehicle | 82.23 | 51.10 | S2000 Scorpion Peacekeeper | 26 Jan 2002 | GWR | [17] |
- ^ Average over two subsequent runs in opposite directions over a 1 mile (1.6 km) course, with flying start[1]
- ^ Average over 1 mile (1.6 km), with a flying start
- ^ Average over two subsequent runs with four hours to work on the vehicle in impound[5]
- ^ Average over 1 kilometre (0.62 mi), with a flying start
- ^ a b c Average over two subsequent runs in opposite directions over a 1 kilometre (0.62 mi) course, with flying start[1]
- ^ Average over three seconds
- ^ Unpaced on a straight surface -0.6% grade;[14] average over 200 metres (660 ft), with flying start (For other cycling records, see cycling records)
- ^ For vehicles powered entirely by solar power, without batteries
By surface
Category | Speed (km/h) | Speed (mph) | Vehicle | Operator | Date | Certifier | References |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
On ice | 335.7 | 208.6 | Audi RS 6 | Janne Laitinen | 9 Mar 2013 | FIA | [18] |
On the Moon | 18.0 | 11.2 | Apollo 17 Lunar Roving Vehicle (LRV‑003) | Eugene Cernan | 31 Jul 1972 | (unofficial) | [19] |
On Mars | 0.18 | 0.11 | Mars Exploration Rovers Spirit and Opportunity | Jet Propulsion Laboratory, with semi‑autonomous control | Jul 2004 | GWR | [20] |
Rail vehicles
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/a6/Bundesarchiv_Bild_102-10590%2C_Propeller-Eisenbahn_auf_der_Versuchsstrecke.jpg/220px-Bundesarchiv_Bild_102-10590%2C_Propeller-Eisenbahn_auf_der_Versuchsstrecke.jpg)
Category | Speed (km/h) | Speed (mph) | Vehicle | Operator | Date | Certifier | References |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Rocket sled | 10,326 | 6,416 | Super Roadrunner | (unmanned) | 29 Apr 2003 | USAF | [21] |
Maglev rocket sled | 1,019 | 633 | USAF rocket sled (unnamed) | (unmanned) | 4 Mar 2016 | USAF | [22] |
Rocket sled (manned) | 1,017 | 632 | Sonic Wind No. 1 | John Stapp | 10 Dec 1954 | USAF | [23] |
Maglev train (manned) | 603 | 375 | SCMaglev L0 Series Shinkansen | 21 Apr 2015 | GWR | [24] | |
Wheeled train | 574.8 | 357.2 | TGV POS V150 | Eric Pieczac | 3 Apr 2007 | [25][26] | |
Propeller-driven rail car | 230 | 140 | Schienenzeppelin | Franz Kruckenberg | 21 Jun 1931 | [27][28] | |
Steam train | 202.6 | 125.9 | LNER Class A4 4468 Mallard | Joseph Duddington and Thomas Bray | 3 Jul 1938 | [29][30][31] |
Aircraft
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/97/Lockheed_SR-71_Blackbird.jpg/220px-Lockheed_SR-71_Blackbird.jpg)
Aircraft speed records are based on airspeed, rather than ground speed.
Category | Speed (km/h) | Speed (mph) | Mach number[a] | Vehicle | Pilot | Date | Certifier | References |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Unmanned aerial vehicle | 21,245 | 13,201 | ~20 | HTV‑2 | (unmanned) | 22 Apr 2010 | (unofficial) | [32] |
Manned rocket-powered aircraft | 7,270 | 4,520 | 6.7 | North American X‑15A‑2 | William J. Knight | 3 Oct 1967 | GWR | [33][34] |
Manned air-breathing craft | 3,529.56 | 2,193.17 | 3.3 | Lockheed SR‑71A Blackbird #61‑7958 |
Eldon W. Joersz | 28 Jul 1976 | FAI | [35] |
Propeller-driven aircraft | 870.38 | 540.83 | 0.82 | Tupolev Tu‑114 | Ivan Soukhomline | 1960 | FAI | [36][37] |
Piston-engined aircraft | 850.24 | 528.31 | 0.69 | Grumman F8F Bearcat (modified) Rare Bear |
Lyle Shelton | 21 Aug 1989 | FAI | [38][39] |
Helicopter[b] | 400.87 | 249.09 | 0.33 | Westland Lynx 800 G‑LYNX | John Egginton | 11 Aug 1986 | FAI | [40] |
Electric aircraft[c] | 324.02 | 201.34 | 0.26 | Rutan Long‑EZ (N89CY) | William M. Yates | 23 Nov 2013 | FAI | [41] |
Glider (sailplane)[d] | 306.8 | 190.6 | 0.25 | Schempp‑Hirth Nimbus‑4DM | Klaus Ohlmann and Matias Garcia Mazzaro | 22 Dec 2006 | FAI | [42] |
Airship[e] | 115.1 | 71.5 | 0.09 | Zeppelin Luftschifftechnik LZ N07‑100 (DLZFN) |
Steve Fossett and Hans‑Paul Ströhle | 27 Oct 2004 | FAI | [44] |
Human-powered aircraft | 44.32 | 27.54 | 0.03 | Musculair 2 | Holger Rochelt | 2 Oct 1985 | FAI | [45] |
Ground effect vehicle | See entry under § Watercraft. |
- ^ Mach number depends on ambient temperature, and thus altitude, as well as speed; it is not a direct measure of speed.
- ^ Unofficial helicopter speed records by the Sikorsky X2 (460 km/h on 15 September 2010) and the Eurocopter X3 (472 km/h on 7 June 2013) would surpass this record if accepted.
- ^ Over a 3-kilometer course
- ^ Average speed over an out-and-return course of 500 km
- ^ Greater speeds reportedly achieved by rigid airships, including 140.3 kilometres per hour (87.2 mph) by the American USS Macon (ZRS-5), are not recognized by the FAI, because these runs did not account for wind speed by flying a set course in both directions.[43]
Watercraft
Category | Speed (knots) |
Speed (km/h) |
Speed (mph) |
Vehicle | Operator | Date | Certifier | References |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Water speed record | 275.98 | 511.11 | 317.59 | Spirit of Australia | Ken Warby | 8 Oct 1978 | UIM | [46][47] |
Propeller-driven watercraft | 226.78 | 420.00 | 260.97 | Problem Child | Daryl Ehrlich | 22 Nov 2009 | IHBA, GWR | [48][49] |
Wind-powered watercraft | 65.45 | 121.21 | 75.32 | Vestas Sailrocket 2 | Paul Larsen | 24 Nov 2012 | WSSRC | [50][51] |
Hovercraft[a] | 74.2 | 137.4 | 85.4 | Universal UH19P Jenny II | Bob Windt | 1 Jan 1995 | WHF, GWR | [52] |
Human-powered watercraft | 18.5 | 34.3 | 21.3 | Decavitator | Mark Drela | 27 Oct 1991 | IHPVA | [53][54] |
Human-powered submarine | 8.035 | 14.881 | 9.247 | Omer 5 | Sebastien Brisebois and Joel Brunet | 28 Jun 2007 | ISR | [55] |
Ground effect vehicle[b] | 350 | 650 | 400 | Korabl Maket (Naval Prototype) "Caspian Sea Monster" | ca. 1966–1980 | (unofficial) | [57] | |
Underwater vehicle | There is no officially recognized speed record for underwater craft, due to the secretive nature of military vessels. In 1968, a Soviet November class submarine reportedly tracked an American carrier group traveling at 31 knots (57 km/h; 36 mph).[58] Unmanned torpedo speed claims range from 60 knots (110 km/h; 69 mph) for the British Spearfish torpedo[59] to 200 knots (370 km/h; 230 mph) for the Russian VA-111 Shkval.[60] |
Spacecraft
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/1c/Parker_Solar_Probe.jpg/220px-Parker_Solar_Probe.jpg)
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/7b/ApolloX_CommandModule_London.jpg/220px-ApolloX_CommandModule_London.jpg)
In order to unambiguously express the speed of a spacecraft, a frame of reference must be specified. Typically, this frame is fixed to the body with the greatest gravitational influence on the spacecraft, as this is the most relevant frame for most purposes.[61] Velocities in different frames of reference are not directly comparable; thus the matter of the "fastest spacecraft" depends on the reference frame used.
Because of the influence of gravity, maximum velocities are usually attained when a spacecraft is close to its primary body, either just after launch, during the early stages of atmospheric entry, or at a point of closest approach (periapsis).
Frame of reference | Category | Speed relative to frame of reference | Vehicle | Operator | Crew | Date | References[a] | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
km/h | km/s | mph | |||||||
Sun | Periapsis | 466,592 | 129.609 | 289,927 | Parker Solar Probe | ![]() |
(unmanned) | 27 Sep 2020[b] | [63] |
Earth | Escape | 58,536 | 16.260 | 36,373 | New Horizons | ![]() |
(unmanned) | 19 Jan 2006 | [64] |
Entry | 46,100 | 12.8 | 28,600 | Stardust | ![]() |
(unmanned) | 15 Jan 2006 | [65] | |
Entry (crewed) | 39,897 | 11.083 | 24,791 | Apollo 10 CSM Charlie Brown | ![]() |
Thomas Stafford, John Young, and Eugene Cernan |
26 May 1969 | [66] | |
Mars | Entry | 27,000 | 7.6 | 17,000 | Mars Pathfinder | ![]() |
(unmanned) | 4 Jul 1997 | [67] |
Jupiter | Orbit insertion | 209,000 | 58 | 130,000 | Juno | ![]() |
(unmanned) | 4 Jul 2016 | [68][61] |
Entry | 173,736 | 48.260 | 107,955 | Galileo | ![]() |
(unmanned) | 21 Sep 2003 | [69] | |
Saturn | Periapsis | 122,000 | 34 | 76,000 | Cassini | ![]() |
(unmanned) | 27 Apr 2017 | [70] |
- ^ Speed records in this class are generally reported by the spacecraft operator and not independently verified.
- ^ The Parker Solar Probe is expected to beat this record in April 2021.[needs update][needs update][needs update] Following several more gravity assists at Venus, the spacecraft is expected to reach a maximum speed at perihelion of approximately 200 km/s (720,000 km/h; 450,000 mph) on 24 December 2024.[62]
See also
References
- ^ a b "D12.3.1 Average Speed". 2016 Appendix D – Regulations For Land Speed Record Attempts. Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile. 17 December 2015. p. 5.
- ^ "FIA Records List Cat. C" (PDF). Federation Internationale de L'automobile. Retrieved 11 December 2016.
- ^ Brandan Gillogly (14 August 2018), Team Vesco's Turbinator II runs 463 mph, breaks Speed Week record, Hagerty
- ^ Speed Week 2018 certified records, Southern California Timing Association, 18 August 2018, p. 8
- ^ 2018 Regulations For Land Speed Record Attempts. Southern California Timing Association. 17 December 2015.
- ^ Brownell, Bradley (12 August 2018). "Danny Thompson's Challenger II Set The Piston-Driven Land Speed Record Today, 50 Years After It First Came To Bonneville". Jalopnik. Retrieved 20 August 2018.
- ^ "Short distance record attempt / Tentative de records de courte distance: Cook Motorsports Private Land Speed Shootout – Bonneville Salt Flats, USA (September 20-25, 2010)". Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme. Retrieved 11 July 2016.
- ^ a b c "FIA Records List Cat. A" (Download). Federation Internationale de L'automobile. Retrieved 11 December 2016.
- ^ Waldron, Aaron. "Rocket-powered RC car set new world record". LiveRC.com. Retrieved 21 March 2017.
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- ^ Swopes, Bryan (28 July 2014). "This Day in Aviation: Important Dates in Aviation History". FAI World Record for Altitude in Horizontal Flight Archives. FAI. Retrieved 13 November 2014.
- ^ "Tupolev Tu-114 Rossiya". Aerospaceweb.org. 17 March 2011. Retrieved 13 November 2014.
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{{cite web}}
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"This large aircraft has flown at 650 km/h (350 knots) ..."
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