06-Sep-2004
The main shaft has already reached a depth of about one and half miles (2.5km) and the drill-bit has now been turned to run at an angle, to penetrate the fault from the side.
Nothing so ambitious has ever been attempted before and the excitement among the scientists is palpable.
The aim of the Safod (San Andreas Fault Observatory at Depth) project is to gather as much data as possible before, during and after earthquakes.