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FastestThings

Vehicles · Ranked by absolute speed

Fastest Human-Built Records in the World (2026)

This hub gathers human-built objects whose speeds already have a home list, and sorts them on one scale. The number on each row is the figure that home list ranks. It is copied onto an absolute-speed measurement so a spacecraft in kilometres per second and a coaster in kilometres per hour can share a page. Nothing here is a new trial.

7 rankedA source on every row
Post on X (opens in a new tab)

7 human-built records, ties share a rank.

  1. 1
    Parker Solar Probe

    NASA / JHU APL · 2024

    691,990km/h429,980mph192,220m/s373,650knLON–NYC 29 s
    OfficialGuinness World Records (opens source in a new tab)
  2. 2
    North American X-15

    NASA / USAF · 1967

    7,274km/h4,520mph2,021m/s3,928knLON–NYC 46 min
    VerifiedNASA (opens source in a new tab)
  3. 3
    Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird

    Lockheed · 1976

    3,529.56km/h2,193mph980m/s1,906knLON–NYC 1 h 35 min
    OfficialFédération Aéronautique Internationale (opens source in a new tab)
  4. 4
    ThrustSSC

    Andy Green · 15 Oct 1997

    1,228km/h763.035mph341m/s663knLON–NYC 4 h 32 min
    OfficialFIA (opens source in a new tab)
  5. 5
    L0 Series maglev

    JR Central · 2015

    603km/h375mph168m/s326knLON–NYC 9 h 14 min
    OfficialGuinness World Records (opens source in a new tab)
  6. 6
    Spirit of Australia

    Ken Warby · 1978

    511.11km/h318mph142m/s276knLON–NYC 10 h 54 min
    OfficialAustralian National Maritime Museum (opens source in a new tab)
  7. 7
    Formula Rossa

    Intamin · Ferrari World Abu Dhabi

    240km/h149mph66.7m/s130knLON–NYC 23 h 13 min
    OfficialGuinness World Records (opens source in a new tab)

The Parker Solar Probe leads, at Guinness's 192.22 km/s on 24 December 2024, speed relative to the Sun. Then the air-launched X-15 at NASA's 4,520 mph on 3 October 1967, the SR-71 at the FAI's 3,529.56 km/h on 28 July 1976, and ThrustSSC at the FIA's 763.035 mph on 15 October 1997. The L0 maglev is 603 km/h on 21 April 2015. Spirit of Australia is 511.11 km/h on 8 October 1978. Formula Rossa is the 240 km/h operating launch.

ThrustSSC stays off the production-car ranking. Its absolute-speed row is how it appears here. Apollo 10's Earth-relative re-entry is a different frame and stays on the Earth-relative list. Seven rows stay under the index gate.

The lineup · 7 on file

Meet the human-built records

One card per entry, with its headline figure and where it ranks.

Ranked by absolute speed

Fastest Human-Built Records

  • Parker Solar Probe

    NASA / JHU APL · 2024

    Absolute speed
    192.22km/s429,980mphOfficial17 Earth laps/h
    Velocity
    192.22km/s429,980mphOfficial

    #1 of 7 · Fastest Human-Built Records

  • North American X-15

    NASA / USAF · 1967

    Absolute speed
    7,274km/h4,520mph2,021m/s3,928knMach5.94VerifiedLON–NYC 46 min
    Top speed
    7,274km/h4,520mph2,021m/s3,928knMach5.94Verified

    #2 of 7 · Fastest Human-Built Records

  • Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird

    Lockheed · 1976

    Absolute speed
    3,529.56km/h2,193mph980m/s1,906knMach2.88OfficialLON–NYC 1 h 35 min
    Top speed
    3,529.56km/h2,193mph980m/s1,906knMach2.88Official

    #3 of 7 · Fastest Human-Built Records

  • ThrustSSC

    Andy Green · 15 Oct 1997

    Absolute speed
    1,228km/h763.035mph341m/s663knMach1.00OfficialLON–NYC 4 h 32 min
    Top speed
    1,228km/h763.035mph341m/s663knMach1.00Official

    #4 of 7 · Fastest Human-Built Records

  • L0 Series maglev

    JR Central · 2015

    Absolute speed
    603km/h375mph168m/s326knOfficial5.8× cheetah
    Top speed
    603km/h375mph168m/s326knOfficial

    #5 of 7 · Fastest Human-Built Records

  • Spirit of Australia

    Ken Warby · 1978

    Absolute speed
    511.11km/h318mph142m/s276knOfficial4.9× cheetah
    Top speed
    511.11km/h318mph142m/s276knOfficial

    #6 of 7 · Fastest Human-Built Records

  • Formula Rossa

    Intamin · Ferrari World Abu Dhabi

    Absolute speed
    240km/h149mph66.7m/s130knOfficial2.3× cheetah
    Ride speed
    240km/h149mph66.7m/s130knOfficial

    #7 of 7 · Fastest Human-Built Records

Spot a wrong number?

Every report is read by a person, and corrections are dated on the page.