Hyperloop Concept Artwork
I first caught wind of the ambitious Hyperloop project back in 2013 when Elon Musk aka Mr. Tesla aka Mr. SpaceX released a 57 page alpha white paper proposal out into the world. Fast forward 3 years to May 2016, the Hyperloop has had it’s first public test in the Nevada desert.
What Is The Hyperloop? A New Kind Of Rail?
Hyperloop – Artist’s Animation
In Musk’s words, a hyperloop is a system to “build a tube over or under the ground that contains a special environment.” Cars would basically be propelled in this tube. One example could be a huge sort of pneumatic tube where high-speed fans would compress and push the air — although the friction implications make Musk skeptical that it would work. Another option is having a vacuum in the tube and using electromagnetic suspension instead. Musk acknowledges it is hard to maintain a vacuum (one small leak in hundreds of miles of tubing, and the system shuts down), but there are pumping solutions to overcome this. He favors the second solution.
The Nevada Desert Test
Hyperloop One (the startup company that ran the test) propelled a 10 foot long sled down a track, accelerating it to 116 mph (187 kmph) before it hit a patch of sand on the tracks. The test took only four seconds.
The Future Of Hyperloop
By the end of this year, Hyperloop One plans to build and test a complete hyperloop, including the tube, pod and the computer that pilots the pod.
Exciting times indeed, the future is now. I will be keeping a close eye on this project for sure.
More Information: Hyperloop One