Successful rocket test for land speed record

The rocket that a British team hopes will propel a 1,000 mph car clears a key hurdle on Wednesday with a successful test.

(SOUNDBITE) (English) WING COMMANDER ANDY GREEN:

"Ladies and gentlemen that is what a 1,000 miles an hour engineering invention is meant to look like."

And this is what the Bloodhound supersonic car may eventually look like when completed.

The rocket will be twinned with a fighter jet engine from a Eurofighter Typhoon in an effort to smash the existing world land speed record of 763mph set 15 years ago by the same team.

Royal Air Force pilot Andy Green will be in the driving seat for the record bid.

(SOUNDBITE) (English) WING COMMANDER ANDY GREEN:

"It's a very special day for us. We have been working on the design for this bloodhound supersonic car for four years. We have sold huge technical challenges in building the world's first 1,000 miles and hour car. We have already for the chassis manufacturer, we will be bolting it together by Christmas."

Bloodhound will attempt the record on a dry lake bed in South Africa in 2014.