08-16-2017, 09:54 PM
Hyperloop Transportation Technologies
INTRODUCTION
Hyperloop is a tradename and a registered trademark of the Space Exploration Technologies Corporation for the high speed transportation of passengers and goods in tubes[1][2] in which capsules are propelled by linear induction motors and air compressors.[3]
Recently there has been a resurgence in interest in pneumatic tube transportation systems since being reintroduced using updated technologies, by Elon Musk,[4][5] incorporating reduced-pressure tubes in which pressurized capsules ride on an air cushion driven by linear induction motors and air compressors.[3]
The outline of the original Hyperloop concept was made public by the release of a preliminary design document in August 2013, which included a notional route running from the Los Angeles region to the San Francisco Bay Area, paralleling the Interstate 5 corridor for most of its length. Preliminary analysis indicated that such a route might obtain an expected journey time of 35 minutes, meaning that passengers would traverse the 350-mile (560 km) route at an average speed of around 600 mph (970 km/h), with a top speed of 760 mph (1,200 km/h). Preliminary cost estimates for the LA SF notional route were included in the white paper US$6 billion for a passenger-only version, and US$7.5 billion for a somewhat larger-diameter version transporting passengers and vehicles[5] although transportation analysts doubted that the system could be constructed on that budget.[6][7][8]
Hyperloop technology has been explicitly open-sourced by Musk and SpaceX, and others have been encouraged to take the ideas and further develop them. To that end, several companies have been formed, and dozens of interdisciplinary student-led teams are working to advance the technology.
History
The general idea of trains or other transportation traveling through evacuated tubes dates back more than a century although the atmospheric railway was never a commercial success. Elon Musk's Hyperloop may make the idea economically viable[citation needed].
Musk first mentioned that he was thinking about a concept for a "fifth mode of transport", calling it the Hyperloop, in July 2012 at a PandoDaily event in Santa Monica, California. This hypothetical high-speed mode of transportation would have the following characteristics: immunity to weather, collision free, twice the speed of a plane, low power consumption, and energy storage for 24-hour operations.[11] The name Hyperloop was chosen because it would go in a loop. Musk envisions the more advanced versions will be able to go at hypersonic speed.[12]
In May 2013, Musk likened the Hyperloop to a "cross between a Concorde and a railgun and an air hockey table,",[13] he also believes it could work either below or above ground.[14]
From late 2012 until August 2013, a group of engineers from both Tesla and SpaceX worked on the conceptual modelling of Hyperloop.[15] An early system design was published in to the Tesla and SpaceX blogs.[5][16] Musk has also invited feedback to "see if the people can find ways to improve it". The Hyperloop will be an open source design.[17] The following day he announced a plan to demonstrate the project.[15][dated info]
In June 2015, SpaceX announced that it would build a 1-mile-long (1.6 km) test track to be located next to SpaceX's Hawthorne facility. The track would be used to test pod designs supplied by third parties in the competition.[18][19] Construction on a 5-mile (8 km) Hyperloop test track is to start on a Hyperloop Transportation Technologies-owned site in Quay Valley in 2016.[20][21]