Talk:The Rocketship from Mars

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Alternate Material, Jet's posting to the ML over it, after the magazine was released


To: <undisclosed recipients>
From: jaguar.jet@zalem.grunthal.fen
Date: 12/06/15
Subject: The Rocketship from Mars.

In case you were wondering what myself and Ford got up to during my leave. Here’s an article from the latest issue of Australian Bike.

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Says it all really.

We started this really just as a hobby. It was a badly-needed break for me from my duties, and something we could do together.

We’re not exactly world famous, but it was strange being phoned up in the middle of the night by Australian news programs asking for quick comments for a short story on the evening news, or motorcycle mag’s and websites asking for quick statements.

It’s been good fun. Tiring, but fun. Things have been kind of weird for us lately. Since the run was announced we’ve been contacted by more than a few people I’ve never heard of, and one or two that I have. I think Mazda are offering to bring us both to Japan for some racing history event.

The details are still being sorted out, but the FIM definitely recognise that we did hit a steady 623 kph, it’s just they’re not quite sure whether we fit into the 3000cc class, or are an unlimited propulsion machine. Muddying the waters further is that we’re a special construction, and didn’t use full streamlining. It’s a different class from the previous absolute record holder.

It’s also sort of funny, because while our average speed was higher than the previous record, our exit speed was 10kph lower.

But they’re definitely going to give us something, they say they just have to figure out what exactly.


First of all...

We have to thank everyone who helped us build the ‘Star. The old cliché is true. Without a lot of people helping us, none of it would’ve been possible. In case the stickers on the bike aren’t clear enough they are, in random order:

  • KJ DeRosia for the Engine work, especially porting and the inconel exhaust manifold.
  • StellOil for supplying a good chunk of our fuel and lubrication needs.
  • JMC for providing space transport for the bike from Mars
  • The DLRA guys for being sound and letting us borrow their lake for a bit
  • Lebia Maverick and ACP Engineering for CFD work on the fairings.
  • The guys at John Henry for their excellent frame fabrications.
  • The Australian Consulate at New Adelaide for making things so fuss free


Second.

We never told Tim, but for the record run we turned the boost up enough to get close to 1000kW. That’s just over 1300bhp in old money. 1200kW is possible with a few slight changes. Beyond that, we won’t know what the limits of possibility are with these engines until we go beyond and grenade one. So far we’ve been pretty conservative. Everything’s been overbuilt.

We put together three expecting to blow two up testing. Aside from a single rotor that had a lubrication failure thanks to some dirt getting into the chamber, we’re still on our first.

A week’s worth of land speed runs and a long distance ride on public roads haven’t bothered the engine in the slightest. When we pulled everything apart we found that, aside from some carbon buildup caused by long running at low revs, the engine core was in pretty good order.


Third.

We’ve been invited to run at an event at Bonneville in September. With proper race fuel available in the States, it’ll be safer to run much more boost. The Bonneville course is a little bit shorter, and it’ll be hotter in the middle of a desert summer. It’ll be interesting if we make it. The previous holders want to make a go of beating us.

If we get there, KJ DeRosia will be riding it. All of that’s been cleared with the TSAB. The cert’s for the bike are valid for a year. The only minor problem is getting clearance for myself. Now that I’m back on duty, I just don’t have time to take care of the US entry requirements.

Ford and KJ are both originally American, so they shouldn’t have trouble. Otherwise it’s just a matter of money to pay for shipping and passage.

Fourth:

Speaking of money, we’ve got enough spare parts left over to build 1 more whole bike.... and possibly a second. Mail either of us with an offer if you’re interested in either parts, or a whole bike. We’d really like to sell a whole bike to someone who’ll actually appreciate the thing. Anything else beyond that, I’m not certain.


Fifth:

We’ll definitely be bringing the Star to the next con. Just as soon as I find some blue spraypaint, red contacts and a brown hair dye that’ll stick in my red hair properly. Whether we actually run it up or not depends on how sound the organisers are, how good the sound deadening is and the fireproofing. This thing really spits flame, and not the quirky slapstick effect kind of flame either, but the sort that burns through straps holding it to a dyno.


-Jet

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“ It has a certain elegant brutality to it, like a precision machined double-headed axe.”