0:00:00 > 0:00:02On tonight's programme:
0:00:02 > 0:00:05Jem witnesses the awesome power of rockets
0:00:05 > 0:00:09when he hooks up with the team behind a 1,000-mile-per-hour car.
0:00:09 > 0:00:11That's insane!
0:00:12 > 0:00:14And the one they're putting on Bloodhound
0:00:14 > 0:00:17is about 1,000 times the thrust.
0:00:17 > 0:00:22And Dallas looks into the future in the search for a robot he can call his own.
0:00:22 > 0:00:27These aren't just remote-controlled toy robots. These are actually autonomous.
0:00:27 > 0:00:29That's Bang Goes The Theory,
0:00:29 > 0:00:32revealing your world with a bang.
0:00:32 > 0:00:36Hello and welcome. We're going to start with the Bloodhound project,
0:00:36 > 0:00:38which is looking to set
0:00:38 > 0:00:42a new land speed record, a staggering 1,000 mph.
0:00:42 > 0:00:45To do that, they're going to need a rocket, a very big rocket.
0:00:50 > 0:00:53So what does a rocket give you,
0:00:53 > 0:00:55that a jet engine doesn't?
0:00:59 > 0:01:03This is a jet engine. It may look smaller than the ones that take you on holiday
0:01:03 > 0:01:05but it still gives one hell of a shove.
0:01:05 > 0:01:08Put it this way, they'd lift a good-sized dog off the ground.
0:01:08 > 0:01:12Jet engines, like most engines, work by sucking air in,
0:01:12 > 0:01:17mixing it with fuel and creating a big fire inside.
0:01:17 > 0:01:20All this engineering that you see, it's just there to control that fire
0:01:20 > 0:01:22and turn the heat into thrust.
0:01:22 > 0:01:27Because you've got so much control of the fuel and the air going in,
0:01:27 > 0:01:30you've got a lot of control over the trust.
0:01:30 > 0:01:32They're also very reliable and very durable.
0:01:32 > 0:01:34And very loud.
0:01:34 > 0:01:37This little fella here...
0:01:37 > 0:01:41is a rocket. It may look a little small and simple compared with the chunky jet engine
0:01:41 > 0:01:44and its elaborate fuel system,
0:01:44 > 0:01:49and it may seem a little unfair to pit them head to head, thrust for thrust,
0:01:49 > 0:01:51but that's exactly what I'm going to do.
0:01:51 > 0:01:55I've mounted these up, both exactly the same distance
0:01:55 > 0:01:58from the centre of the seat of this spinny chair.
0:01:58 > 0:02:03The plan is, I'm going to fire up the jet engine to full thrust.
0:02:03 > 0:02:07It's then going to power itself up against this stop.
0:02:07 > 0:02:10When it's at full power, I'm then going to switch on the rocket
0:02:10 > 0:02:14and see if the rocket can out-thrust the jet
0:02:14 > 0:02:16and push itself in that direction.
0:02:24 > 0:02:26'Here goes. Throttle up on the jet.'
0:02:26 > 0:02:28ENGINE STARTING
0:02:30 > 0:02:34'It's a slow build-up of thrust. Needs a little time to get going.'
0:02:34 > 0:02:36ENGINE REVVING
0:02:41 > 0:02:44'Just enough power now to move the arm around.'
0:02:47 > 0:02:48'Let it build up to full thrust.'
0:02:48 > 0:02:50HIGHER PITCHED REVVING
0:02:50 > 0:02:53'OK, now THAT would launch your dog.'
0:02:53 > 0:02:56'Time to arm that tiny rocket.'
0:02:57 > 0:02:58'T minus five.'
0:03:08 > 0:03:09'Look at that.
0:03:09 > 0:03:14'For a few beautiful seconds, that little rocket totally outdoes the jet.
0:03:17 > 0:03:20'And then, it's all over.'
0:03:20 > 0:03:21ENGINE EXPLODES
0:03:24 > 0:03:25That's insane.
0:03:25 > 0:03:27and the one they're putting on Bloodhound
0:03:27 > 0:03:30is about 1,000 times the thrust.
0:03:31 > 0:03:34So how did a little rocket like that
0:03:34 > 0:03:39outperform a hefty jet engine like the one over there?
0:03:41 > 0:03:46Well, it's because the inferno going on in there
0:03:46 > 0:03:51is far, far more ferocious than the burn inside that jet engine,
0:03:51 > 0:03:54which means more power in a smaller package
0:03:54 > 0:03:58and if you attach a smaller package to your car, you're going to get less drag
0:03:58 > 0:04:01and potentially a higher top speed.
0:04:02 > 0:04:06But how does this get that far more intense inferno inside?
0:04:06 > 0:04:10Well, that is pretty much just down to oxygen.
0:04:18 > 0:04:24Any fire is generally just a chemical reaction between a fuel and oxygen.
0:04:24 > 0:04:27And it's that reaction that releases all the heat.
0:04:27 > 0:04:30It doesn't really matter whether that fuel is rocket fuel,
0:04:30 > 0:04:34jet fuel, petrol or the charcoal on my barbecue.
0:04:34 > 0:04:37The principle's still the same.
0:04:37 > 0:04:40The better the oxygen supply, the faster it's going to burn.
0:04:40 > 0:04:45Now at the moment, this barbecue's burning all right by virtue of
0:04:45 > 0:04:50air drifting in from its surroundings, supplying the coals with oxygen.
0:04:50 > 0:04:55But say I wanted it to burn faster, say I was feeling hungry and I wanted a quicker burger.
0:04:55 > 0:04:57I need to give it more oxygen.
0:04:57 > 0:05:00- So I can- (HE PUFFS)- blow it in.
0:05:00 > 0:05:02HE PUFFS HARDER
0:05:04 > 0:05:05Which does all right.
0:05:05 > 0:05:08Or maybe step things up with a bit of compressed air.
0:05:08 > 0:05:09HISSING
0:05:11 > 0:05:15That's forcing my fuel to burn a bit quicker.
0:05:15 > 0:05:17But I'm starving.
0:05:17 > 0:05:19I want to get this thing burning super-quick.
0:05:19 > 0:05:24I need the richest oxygen supply I can, and air just doesn't cut it.
0:05:24 > 0:05:26It's only 21% oxygen.
0:05:26 > 0:05:31So I'm thinking, what if I added liquid oxygen?
0:05:38 > 0:05:41That's gone off like a rocket.
0:05:41 > 0:05:44'And that's because it's burning like a rocket.'
0:05:44 > 0:05:47'Rather than getting its oxygen from the air,
0:05:47 > 0:05:50'a rocket carries its own, more potent supply.'
0:05:50 > 0:05:53Which means there's more heat, there's more power,
0:05:53 > 0:05:57which is fantastic for thrust, but I believe,
0:05:57 > 0:05:59not quite so good for cooking.
0:06:01 > 0:06:05Very good interesting barbecue technique, unconventional.
0:06:05 > 0:06:09But I liked it, I liked it. I visited the Bloodhound team last series.
0:06:09 > 0:06:12It is an awesome project, very, very exciting.
0:06:12 > 0:06:16A little audacious to say the least. The thing is, once you introduce a rocket to a project,
0:06:16 > 0:06:20you might solve a bunch of problems but also open one massive can of worms.
0:06:20 > 0:06:23As they say, rocket science is a little complicated.
0:06:23 > 0:06:27Later in the show, I'm going to visit them to find out just how difficult.
0:06:27 > 0:06:31'And follow the links from Slash Bang to a veritable treasure trove
0:06:31 > 0:06:33'of facts about oxygen and all the other elements
0:06:33 > 0:06:37'at the Open University's all-new interactive periodic table.'
0:06:37 > 0:06:42Good. Well, speaking of complicated things, it's time for another Dr Yan conundrum.
0:06:42 > 0:06:44- Ready for this one? It's a little bit tough.- Hit me.
0:06:44 > 0:06:49OK, when does two equal one, or to put it another way, when does one equal two?
0:06:49 > 0:06:54- Any ideas?- It's too cryptic. Did you get that at home? I think that's too cryptic.
0:06:54 > 0:06:58Let me give you a clue. Think algebra, think equations, put your maths hats on.
0:06:58 > 0:07:01- Do I have to?- Yes. - I can't think.- No ideas?
0:07:01 > 0:07:04- I can see where you might be going. - If you're a little bit stumped,
0:07:04 > 0:07:08check out the full answer on Slash Bang as always.
0:07:08 > 0:07:10If we're in to difficult questions, try this one...
0:07:10 > 0:07:15If I were to ask you to measure the entire circumference of the Earth, how would you do it?
0:07:15 > 0:07:17Tape measure, run really fast, no, I'm sorry.
0:07:17 > 0:07:19A little impractical.
0:07:19 > 0:07:22But believe it or not, 240 BC,
0:07:22 > 0:07:25a Greek fella figured out how to do it with just two sticks.
0:07:25 > 0:07:30So our man Dr Yan has tried to recreate that incredible experiment,
0:07:30 > 0:07:32with a tiny bit of help from me.
0:07:32 > 0:07:34It might surprise you to know this,
0:07:34 > 0:07:37but the ancient Greeks didn't think that the Earth was flat.
0:07:37 > 0:07:41They thought it was round and not only that,
0:07:41 > 0:07:43but Eratosthenes managed to calculate
0:07:43 > 0:07:47the circumference of the entire Earth simply by measuring
0:07:47 > 0:07:49the length of a shadow cast by a stick
0:07:49 > 0:07:52when the sun was at its highest in the sky.
0:07:52 > 0:07:55That's just incredible. Let me show you how he did it.
0:07:57 > 0:08:02Now, Bang HQ is down there in Brighton and if you go due north from there
0:08:02 > 0:08:06until you hit the sea, you end up here, in Mappleton near Hull.
0:08:06 > 0:08:09And if the Earth were flat, then the length of a shadow
0:08:09 > 0:08:13cast by a stick would be the same in both places.
0:08:13 > 0:08:17But Eratosthenes realised that because the Earth is curved,
0:08:17 > 0:08:21then the angle of the sun in the sky
0:08:21 > 0:08:25and the length of the shadow, would be different in different places.
0:08:25 > 0:08:26It occurred to Eratosthenes
0:08:26 > 0:08:30that if he could measure the angle of the sun, using shadows,
0:08:30 > 0:08:35in two places on Earth, then he could use that to work out how many degrees
0:08:35 > 0:08:39around the curve of the Earth the two places were from each other.
0:08:39 > 0:08:43Eratosthenes made one of those measurements in his home town of Alexandria.
0:08:43 > 0:08:45But how did he make the other one?
0:08:45 > 0:08:48Well, it turns out he'd heard of a strange phenomenon
0:08:48 > 0:08:52in a town called Syene in the south of Egypt.
0:08:52 > 0:08:56At noon on the summer solstice, a vertical well was lit all the way to the bottom,
0:08:56 > 0:09:00meaning the sun had to be directly overhead at 90 degrees.
0:09:00 > 0:09:04Eratosthenes was able to calculate the angle between the two places
0:09:04 > 0:09:08using another ancient Greek speciality, geometry, like this.
0:09:08 > 0:09:10Imagine this is the Earth...
0:09:12 > 0:09:15..and this here is Syene,
0:09:15 > 0:09:21where on the summer solstice, the sun's rays hit at exactly 90 degrees.
0:09:22 > 0:09:25Now this is Alexandria, where he calculated
0:09:25 > 0:09:30that the angle of the sun's rays was 83 degrees.
0:09:30 > 0:09:34What Eratosthenes wanted to do is calculate this:
0:09:37 > 0:09:41the angle in the centre of the Earth between the two places.
0:09:41 > 0:09:44And because the sun's rays are parallel,
0:09:44 > 0:09:48then this angle here must be the same as this angle here.
0:09:49 > 0:09:52Right. Now time to go and calculate my angles.
0:09:54 > 0:09:56170 centimetres.
0:09:59 > 0:10:03It's local noon, so the sun's as high as it's going to get.
0:10:03 > 0:10:08And all I need to do is to measure the length of the shadow of this stick.
0:10:08 > 0:10:09Right, there we go.
0:10:13 > 0:10:17I reckon that's, er, 105 centimetres.
0:10:18 > 0:10:21Now, I can't be in two places at once but luckily,
0:10:21 > 0:10:25Jem is down in Brighton at Bang HQ. All I need to do is give him a ring
0:10:25 > 0:10:27and he should have a measurement for me.
0:10:27 > 0:10:32- Hey, Yan.- Hi, Jem, can you give me the length of the shadow?
0:10:32 > 0:10:34Just a sec.
0:10:35 > 0:10:39I'm looking at 936, I would say.
0:10:39 > 0:10:43- 93.6 centimetres. Brilliant, thank you very much.- Great. Cheers, Yan.
0:10:43 > 0:10:44Fantastic.
0:10:45 > 0:10:48My stick was 170 centimetres high
0:10:48 > 0:10:54and my shadow was 105 centimetres long.
0:10:54 > 0:10:57So the angle of the sun was...
0:10:58 > 0:10:5958 degrees.
0:11:00 > 0:11:02For Jem, well,
0:11:02 > 0:11:08his shadow was 93.6 centimetres.
0:11:08 > 0:11:12So Jem's angle is, well, 61 degrees.
0:11:13 > 0:11:19That means that the angle at the centre of the Earth between Jem in Brighton and me here in Mappleton
0:11:19 > 0:11:22is 61 minus 58, which is three degrees.
0:11:22 > 0:11:27How does that help work out the circumference of the Earth? Let me demonstrate with this pizza.
0:11:27 > 0:11:29HE LAUGHS
0:11:29 > 0:11:32Now if the angle in the centre here is three degrees -
0:11:32 > 0:11:35that's a pretty stingy slice of pizza,
0:11:35 > 0:11:38then I can fit 120 of those
0:11:38 > 0:11:42into the whole pizza, because three times 120 is 360.
0:11:42 > 0:11:46And that means that the distance all the way round the edge is
0:11:46 > 0:11:51just the distance along the edge of one of these slices, times 120.
0:11:51 > 0:11:57The distance from here to Brighton, as the crow flies, is about 330 km,
0:11:57 > 0:12:02so the circumference of the earth must be 330 times 120.
0:12:02 > 0:12:09That comes to 39,600 kilometres. And Eratosthenes - well,
0:12:09 > 0:12:14he calculated the circumference of the earth at 39,690 kilometres.
0:12:15 > 0:12:16How about the real figure?
0:12:16 > 0:12:19Well, modern satellite measurements tell us that
0:12:19 > 0:12:24the circumference of the earth around the poles is 40,008 kilometres.
0:12:24 > 0:12:28So I did really well. And Eratosthenes didn't do too badly either,
0:12:28 > 0:12:31but he didn't get a pizza for it and I do.
0:12:31 > 0:12:34So that's great.
0:12:34 > 0:12:38Now when I was a kid, you couldn't move for predictions
0:12:38 > 0:12:40of exciting robots that would pander to our every whim,
0:12:40 > 0:12:44and obviously nowadays we live alongside robots in our factories,
0:12:44 > 0:12:48in our electrical devices, even in our traffic lights, but somehow,
0:12:48 > 0:12:52I can't help but feel a little disappointed.
0:13:02 > 0:13:04Cute. Yes.
0:13:04 > 0:13:07Sophisticated. Absolutely.
0:13:07 > 0:13:11But the fully autonomous robot companion of my dreams?
0:13:11 > 0:13:14Not yet.
0:13:14 > 0:13:16So why are we still waiting?
0:13:16 > 0:13:19I've come to Edinburgh University's robot lab to find out
0:13:19 > 0:13:21how close we are with the latest tech.
0:13:21 > 0:13:25When I was a kid, the idea was that definitely by now
0:13:25 > 0:13:28we would have robots that could think for themselves,
0:13:28 > 0:13:31they'd be able to mix the perfect martini and make tea
0:13:31 > 0:13:34and would be able to work with us as humans on our terms.
0:13:34 > 0:13:37It just seems that we're not even nearly there,
0:13:37 > 0:13:40or there's been something wrong, there's something holding this up.
0:13:40 > 0:13:44You're right. It hasn't happened, because people probably underestimated
0:13:44 > 0:13:46the amount of things that you need to consider
0:13:46 > 0:13:50when doing apparently simple tasks. Think about an autonomous system,
0:13:50 > 0:13:53for example crossing a road, then it has to make decisions
0:13:53 > 0:13:58on its own, it has to sense the state of the environment.
0:13:58 > 0:14:01So it's a lot more complex.
0:14:01 > 0:14:05A decent robot needs to be capable of performing really complicated tasks,
0:14:05 > 0:14:08like these little fellows, who have mastered the beautiful game.
0:14:08 > 0:14:10Sort of.
0:14:10 > 0:14:13Let me check - these aren't remote-control toy robots,
0:14:13 > 0:14:16these are actually autonomous. Can I say they're autonomous?
0:14:16 > 0:14:20They are autonomous in the sense that they've got its own sensors,
0:14:20 > 0:14:23so it's got cameras, it's got wireless, infra red sensors,
0:14:23 > 0:14:25and they've got some touch sensors.
0:14:25 > 0:14:29That one's just fouled him. He just sort of kicked him in the shin.
0:14:29 > 0:14:31That's a robot red card.
0:14:34 > 0:14:38The basic behaviour's built in, like go for the ball,
0:14:38 > 0:14:41once it reaches the target, aim and kick,
0:14:41 > 0:14:43and the goalkeeper has a basic task of saving it,
0:14:43 > 0:14:46so these typical behaviours are then controlled
0:14:46 > 0:14:48with a higher level artificial intelligence,
0:14:48 > 0:14:54to figure out which of the behaviours to trigger when,
0:14:54 > 0:14:58so that it can achieve the overall goal of trying to defend or score a goal.
0:14:58 > 0:15:02To play football these guys must be pretty clever, but recreating
0:15:02 > 0:15:07anything like human intelligence is unbelievably complicated.
0:15:07 > 0:15:12Even so, his team are making progress.
0:15:12 > 0:15:13"MASTERMIND" THEME
0:15:22 > 0:15:27The robot has a webcam for its eyes, so it can look at the state
0:15:27 > 0:15:32of the game, and figure out the moves you've played and what it has done.
0:15:32 > 0:15:34The most important component
0:15:34 > 0:15:36is the AI or the planning behind it,
0:15:36 > 0:15:41which basically tries to figure out the strategy that you are playing
0:15:41 > 0:15:45and first of all try to defend itself and maybe try and beat you.
0:15:45 > 0:15:49I can see what it's trying to do. I can see exactly how I'm going to lose as well.
0:15:49 > 0:15:51Oh, it won.
0:15:51 > 0:15:53Yeah. Yeah, it won.
0:15:53 > 0:15:55It won. Where's the hammer?
0:15:55 > 0:16:01But it's hardly the kind of personal robot I've got in mind.
0:16:03 > 0:16:04OK.
0:16:04 > 0:16:08I mean, that is incredible, just seeing the strategy there,
0:16:08 > 0:16:11and it can see and knows where to put things,
0:16:11 > 0:16:16but how are we going to put this together and create my ultimate robot?
0:16:16 > 0:16:20I think what we've seen today is that there are bits and pieces
0:16:20 > 0:16:25which are brilliant, but actually what you need for something like a robot butler
0:16:25 > 0:16:28would be to first of all put all these things together,
0:16:28 > 0:16:36into a very fast, reactive robust system, but on top of that, have the robot... give the robot
0:16:36 > 0:16:42the ability to learn and adapt and change, just like you and me do.
0:16:42 > 0:16:45And this might be the answer.
0:16:48 > 0:16:51Although it doesn't look like quite like I expected,
0:16:51 > 0:16:56this is the closest thing yet to a proper independent robot.
0:16:56 > 0:17:03This machine can drive, navigate, and avoid obstacles, all without any human involvement.
0:17:03 > 0:17:05Off we go. Very smooth.
0:17:05 > 0:17:07Sensing, planning and reacting,
0:17:07 > 0:17:12all critical for a real independent thinking robot,
0:17:12 > 0:17:16and they're are all mastered by this vehicle.
0:17:16 > 0:17:18So just how intelligent is this thing?
0:17:18 > 0:17:21It's pretty good, you know. You can even tell it senses
0:17:21 > 0:17:23when you're going up a gradient.
0:17:23 > 0:17:26You can sense it being aware of where it is,
0:17:26 > 0:17:29and the kind of terrain it's driving on,
0:17:29 > 0:17:32as we go down a - ooh, blimey!
0:17:32 > 0:17:35See if it manages this pothole.
0:17:35 > 0:17:36Come on!
0:17:38 > 0:17:41I'm now rather disconcertingly heading towards
0:17:41 > 0:17:44two concrete objects in the middle of the road.
0:17:44 > 0:17:48Very cleverly, the car's spotted them and it's driving round them.
0:17:48 > 0:17:51Look at that. It's amazing.
0:17:51 > 0:17:55All I have to do is sort of sit here. On board there are a whole host of sensors.
0:17:55 > 0:17:59You might be able to see on the roof, that thing spinning around.
0:17:59 > 0:18:03That's a lidar. That sees the world using laser ranging.
0:18:03 > 0:18:06There's also radar on board, there's also various cameras, GPS,
0:18:06 > 0:18:10and all that information about the outside world gets thrown back
0:18:10 > 0:18:14to a big number-crunching computer in the back,
0:18:14 > 0:18:20which makes the decisions, and puts it all forward to the mechanics of the actual car.
0:18:20 > 0:18:24I've got a screen here that gives me all the information coming from the various sensors,
0:18:24 > 0:18:27so I can check the software is all running correctly,
0:18:27 > 0:18:30that the lidar is...lidaring.
0:18:30 > 0:18:33OK, we are going slightly off-piste here.
0:18:33 > 0:18:34Whoa!
0:18:34 > 0:18:37Blimey! It really does have a mind of its own.
0:18:37 > 0:18:41This incredible machine marks a great leap forward
0:18:41 > 0:18:44in the development of autonomous robots
0:18:44 > 0:18:49but the driving force behind it isn't the need for domestic robots.
0:18:49 > 0:18:53It's the need for robots on the battlefield, where very soon, machines like this
0:18:53 > 0:18:58will be doing all sorts of tasks, from reconnaissance to bomb disposal.
0:18:58 > 0:19:03So, something like this is really a test bed for the latest autonomous technology,
0:19:03 > 0:19:08a chance to put it through its paces in a real-world situation.
0:19:08 > 0:19:10In one sense it's great, because you have the potential
0:19:10 > 0:19:15to save lives, but I can't help but wonder where else this could lead.
0:19:15 > 0:19:18Now, there are no plans to fit weapons to this vehicle,
0:19:18 > 0:19:23but that wouldn't be difficult in theory, and then what?
0:19:23 > 0:19:25Instead of my dream robot companion,
0:19:25 > 0:19:30you could imagine its evil nemesis - a Terminator, a Dalek?
0:19:30 > 0:19:34I've come to meet robot ethicist Blay Whitby, to see what he thinks
0:19:34 > 0:19:39about living, working and maybe fighting alongside our mechanical cousins.
0:19:39 > 0:19:44In terms of autonomous robots of the battlefield, we're sort of seeing already
0:19:44 > 0:19:48flying drones, unmanned drones that can get somewhere on their own,
0:19:48 > 0:19:51but don't pull the trigger on their own - there's still a human in the loop.
0:19:51 > 0:19:52That's right.
0:19:52 > 0:19:55At present, there's a human being's finger on the trigger.
0:19:55 > 0:19:58But in the relatively near future we're going to move to
0:19:58 > 0:20:01a situation where these things can autonomously decide to kill.
0:20:01 > 0:20:06We are talking about things with very limited cognitive capacity?
0:20:06 > 0:20:10Incredibly limited cognitive capacity. Well below insect level.
0:20:10 > 0:20:15At present, we don't know how to make robots that are as clever as ants.
0:20:15 > 0:20:20- So these... so not even as clever as an ant? - Not even as clever as an ant.
0:20:20 > 0:20:23You have got to realise how limited current technology is.
0:20:23 > 0:20:26These things don't have any ethical sensibility,
0:20:26 > 0:20:30they don't have any emotions, they don't have moral values.
0:20:30 > 0:20:34In fact, we haven't been able to programme any common sense into them.
0:20:34 > 0:20:37A lot of autonomous technology seems to come from the military.
0:20:37 > 0:20:40But as it gradually filters down into everyday life,
0:20:40 > 0:20:45are we going to face similar moral and ethical and social questions?
0:20:45 > 0:20:50Everybody is meeting smarter and smarter technology every day. That is going to continue.
0:20:50 > 0:20:53Very close to market technology is that of smart homes,
0:20:53 > 0:20:57which are like an automated apartment which will look after old people.
0:20:57 > 0:21:01Maybe someone would decline in cognitive capabilities. Maybe someone with a brain disorder.
0:21:01 > 0:21:05It will decide what they eat, whether or not they're eating healthily,
0:21:05 > 0:21:09and summon human assistance if they need it.
0:21:09 > 0:21:12The problem is, there's no code of practice for building these things.
0:21:12 > 0:21:16There is no public discussion about what's acceptable and what's not.
0:21:16 > 0:21:19They're simply going to be built. The time for this discussion is now.
0:21:22 > 0:21:25- Very quickly, all-time favourite robot? - Metal Mickey.
0:21:25 > 0:21:28- R2-D2, without a doubt. - For me, it's my washing machine.
0:21:28 > 0:21:32Now moving on, I go rocket testing with the Bloodhound team.
0:21:34 > 0:21:36I'm heading to the countryside to meet Daniel Jubb,
0:21:36 > 0:21:40Bloodhound's chief rocket engineer.
0:21:40 > 0:21:43It's taken them several years to design a rocket
0:21:43 > 0:21:48capable of powering Bloodhound to an incredible 1,000 miles an hour.
0:21:48 > 0:21:51And today, we're putting their latest model to the test.
0:21:51 > 0:21:55'Yeah, this is definitely rocket science.'
0:21:55 > 0:22:00It's, eh, it's a little big bigger than the rockets I've built, but broadly similar.
0:22:00 > 0:22:02Indeed. Exactly the same principle.
0:22:02 > 0:22:05How many rockets have you tested so far?
0:22:05 > 0:22:08We've conducted several firings of the six-inch hybrid chamber.
0:22:08 > 0:22:11It's an important development tool
0:22:11 > 0:22:14for the full-size 18-inch chamber for Bloodhound.
0:22:14 > 0:22:19We have learnt from the successful firings and the two failures. One burnt a hole in the motor case.
0:22:19 > 0:22:24The other sent the motor case and nozzle assembly over 300 feet down the desert.
0:22:24 > 0:22:28- Right. So we'll be careful then. - Absolutely.
0:22:28 > 0:22:32'Daniel's rocket is a hybrid rocket.'
0:22:32 > 0:22:36It means it's got a solid fuel, into which is pumped a liquid oxidiser.
0:22:36 > 0:22:38The fuel he's using is a kind of rubber.
0:22:38 > 0:22:43It's similar to the rubber used in the cushioning of training shoes. Just a bit faster.
0:22:43 > 0:22:48Right, so in comes the oxidiser. The first thing it hits is this catalyst pack.
0:22:48 > 0:22:52Now that makes it split into steam and oxygen.
0:22:52 > 0:22:57The oxygen, under high temperature, hits this rubber and starts burning.
0:22:57 > 0:23:02At a couple of thousand degrees, this gas is expanding rapidly.
0:23:02 > 0:23:04As it expands through this nozzle,
0:23:04 > 0:23:07it gets accelerated to supersonic speeds.
0:23:07 > 0:23:11So what you end up with is a supersonic plasma going in that direction.
0:23:11 > 0:23:18Getting maximum power from the rocket isn't as simple as pumping in as much oxidiser as possible.
0:23:18 > 0:23:23It's critical that the fuel and oxidiser mix in exactly the right proportions.
0:23:23 > 0:23:28These are going to be my rockets.
0:23:28 > 0:23:31I'm going to use plain air as my oxidiser.
0:23:31 > 0:23:33I'm going to use acetylene as my fuel.
0:23:33 > 0:23:38You might think, a stack of fuel, surely that's the best way to go?
0:23:38 > 0:23:42You might think it's best to have loads of oxidiser and not so much fuel.
0:23:42 > 0:23:44So this one...
0:23:44 > 0:23:51Or you might want to try some rocket science, which means in my bottle that's about 77 millilitres.
0:23:53 > 0:23:55My three rockets are now set.
0:23:55 > 0:23:59They've got their fuel/oxidiser ratio. This one stacks of fuel.
0:23:59 > 0:24:01This one stacks of oxidiser.
0:24:01 > 0:24:05This one, hopefully, the scientifically correct formula.
0:24:05 > 0:24:08Time to retire... and fire.
0:24:08 > 0:24:11Three, two, one...
0:24:18 > 0:24:20Look at that!
0:24:22 > 0:24:25Just the right amount of fuel/oxidiser mix.
0:24:25 > 0:24:28It is a massive explosion.
0:24:28 > 0:24:31And that is what you want in a rocket
0:24:31 > 0:24:33if you're going to get to 1,000 miles an hour.
0:24:35 > 0:24:37Ooh!
0:24:40 > 0:24:45Working out how to achieve this perfect mix has been the main challenge for Daniel's team.
0:24:45 > 0:24:50Firing up a rocket of this size is seriously dangerous.
0:24:50 > 0:24:53I guess we get into these?
0:24:53 > 0:24:58So it's a real privilege to be taking part in this test.
0:24:58 > 0:25:00For the Bloodhound rocket,
0:25:00 > 0:25:06our oxygen source is something called high test peroxide, or HTP.
0:25:06 > 0:25:09But although it's fairly stable and non-toxic,
0:25:09 > 0:25:12it still needs to be handled carefully.
0:25:12 > 0:25:16What we're doing is sucking the hydrogen peroxide into this tank.
0:25:16 > 0:25:18Once it's full...
0:25:19 > 0:25:22we then seal it off. The next stage,
0:25:22 > 0:25:25which can only be done once we're clear of the building,
0:25:25 > 0:25:29is it gets pressurised by those nitrogen cylinders there.
0:25:29 > 0:25:33The pressure means there's probably 50 tonnes of force
0:25:33 > 0:25:37trying to burst the top and bottom off that tank.
0:25:37 > 0:25:42'After helping Daniel to load the HTP oxidiser, we slowly open the valve...'
0:25:42 > 0:25:46- 800 PSI. - 800. Perfect.
0:25:46 > 0:25:50..before retreating to the safety of the monitoring bunker.
0:25:57 > 0:25:59The rocket's bolted firmly in place.
0:25:59 > 0:26:03We don't want it flying anywhere in this test.
0:26:03 > 0:26:05OK, are we ready?
0:26:05 > 0:26:10To succeed, we want spontaneous ignition. 100% burn in around 10 seconds...
0:26:10 > 0:26:14Close the vent.
0:26:14 > 0:26:16The vent is closed.
0:26:16 > 0:26:19..producing at least 2,000 pounds of thrust.
0:26:19 > 0:26:21Pressurise the tank.
0:26:21 > 0:26:24OK, we're about 15 seconds away.
0:26:24 > 0:26:25Start the countdown.
0:26:25 > 0:26:28Will Daniel's calculations prove right?
0:26:28 > 0:26:32Nine, eight, seven, six, five...
0:26:32 > 0:26:35Valve cracked. Crack more.
0:26:35 > 0:26:37Fire!
0:26:44 > 0:26:48Internal temperature, around 2,500 degrees.
0:26:48 > 0:26:54Internal pressure, 550 PSI. Maximum thrust, 2,500 pounds.
0:26:57 > 0:26:58Test complete.
0:26:58 > 0:27:04Success! Nothing burst! Nothing like... oh! I'm relieved.
0:27:05 > 0:27:10The rocket has performed perfectly, taking the Bloodhound team one step closer
0:27:10 > 0:27:15to their dream of driving at 1,000 miles an hour.
0:27:15 > 0:27:19- That was epic! - Blimey. I'll tell you what, I wonder if Andy Green,
0:27:19 > 0:27:22who's driving the Bloodhound car, was watching that.
0:27:22 > 0:27:25He might have a little collywobble. You know what I mean?
0:27:25 > 0:27:29I really wouldn't blame him if he was a bit...
0:27:29 > 0:27:33That was just a third-scale model. I was three bunkers away, and it still felt a bit much.
0:27:33 > 0:27:36For the real thing, OK, the real thing, just pumping in the oxidiser
0:27:36 > 0:27:39will be a pump out of a cruise missile.
0:27:39 > 0:27:45And it's hosing in oxidiser because it's powered by a V8 Cosworth Formula One engine.
0:27:45 > 0:27:49The rocket that's going to go on that 1,000 mph car is so big,
0:27:49 > 0:27:56that when it's tested in a few weeks, it will be the biggest rocket test in the UK for 20 years.
0:27:56 > 0:27:59And it is all on our website.
0:27:59 > 0:28:03It's a truly awesome project. OK, that is it for this week.
0:28:03 > 0:28:08Next week, I'm looking at something that bothers a lot of people, and that's forgetting things.
0:28:08 > 0:28:11You know when you walk into a room and can't remember why you're there?
0:28:11 > 0:28:16- It happens to me every day. - It drives me round the bend. I'm looking at how memory works,
0:28:16 > 0:28:19and what you can do to make sure you never lose your car keys again.
0:28:19 > 0:28:24Nice one. And I'm going to be looking into stem cell research. Still a controversial subject.
0:28:24 > 0:28:29But its potential for use in organ repair and whole-organ transplants
0:28:29 > 0:28:31has moved on in leaps and bounds.
0:28:31 > 0:28:35And our dear Dr Yan? He has finally cracked.
0:28:35 > 0:28:38He'll be inflicting pain on people. You've been warned.
0:28:38 > 0:28:42You really have. We will see you next week. Bye-bye!
0:28:51 > 0:28:54Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd
0:28:54 > 0:28:56E-mail subtitling@bbc.co.uk