Elon Musk, the founder of electric car firm Telsa Motors, PayPal and space technology company SpaceX is the one who first suggested the innovative idea of Hyperloop technology in 2013. Elon Musk is well known for his innovative and unbelievable projects.  He is a successful spearhead of the 21’st century. Hyperloop is a new way to move people and things at airline speeds at an affordable amount.

What is a Hyperloop?

Hyperloop is a high-speed transportation system that propels a capsule resembling vehicle through a tube at speed more than that of an aircraft. It designed to move people and goods anywhere on the globe quickly, safely and efficiently with minimal impact to the environment.  In simple words, Hyperloop is a capsule that floats on a cushion of air through a long tube with the help of magnets and compression fans.

How Hyperloop works?

The capsules in the tube are propelled by air pressure like in vacuum tubes by electromagnetic motors that aimed to travel at a speed of 760 miles per hour. The tracks have a vacuum but not completely free of air; low-pressure air exists in it. When the capsules move in the tube, it happens low pressured air to get pressed which leads to the cushion of air.

Here comes the role of the compression fan fixed at the front of the capsule which redirects the compressed air to the air bearings. The paddles are arranged above the surface of the tube to reduce friction.  According to Musk capsules are propelled through a magnetic linear accelerator at various points on the low-pressure tube with rotors contained in each capsule.

Hyperloop would be as fast as an airplane where passengers would not notice the speed during the time of travel. When it comes to the fare, it is cheaper comparing with the bullet train, and it is completely self-powered and unobstructed. When tracks are designed above the earth, poles are used under the track for support. These poles are designed in such a way that they swag in the case of an earthquake.

Solar panels are placed on top of the track that powered by solar energy. The track got designed with specially arranged rows of permanent magnets and power conditioning unit which will convert DC power from the battery. The magnetic field which levitates the pod above the track surface.

SpaceX conducted Hyperloop pod design competition:

SpaceX provided a convenient platform for engineering students through competition to bring out the new innovative ideas hidden in them. SpaceX made an announcement in the year 2015 which stated that pod design competition would be held in June 2016. There were more than 1000 applications in the initial stage. Out of 120 teams, 30 teams got a chance to participate in SpaceX headquarters, California.

Engineering design and construction firm AECOM built the Hyperloop for one mile to test track in SpaceX headquarters for completion. Finally, three teams passed all the tests and got a chance to run their model on the trial track. The team from the University of Delft secured the first place in the competition with Design and Construction Award. European technical school team stood second with Fastest pod award, and third place was awarded to MIT team with Safety and Reliability Award.

Hyperloop Pod Competition 2 will be held in this year summer, in which a single criteria maximum speed will be focused. Competition is open for new teams as well as teams who already tested pods on the trial track.

‘Hyperloop One’ and ‘Hyperloop Transportation Technologies’ are two startup companies that involved in making Elon Musk’s dream Hyperloop a reality.  Hyperloop One is building the test track in Nevada desert, 30 minutes from Los Vegas.  Hyperloop One is planning to build the first Hyperloop system from Dubai to Abu Dhabi. The actual distance is 99 miles which take two hours by car, but it will be twelve minutes of a journey through Hyperloop.

Hyperloop is going to be the future of travel. Hyperloop, High speed solar powered transportation will stand as a solution for high-traffic cities.   It is faster than the airplane, cheaper than a bullet train and both weather and earthquake resistant. It is immune to the environment as it is pollution free transport.

Hyperloop designs our future with fastest, safest and more convenient travel around the globe.

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Latha