Page 122 - How It Works - Book Of Amazing Answers To Curious Questions, Volume 05-15

The Hyperloop

Elon Musk’s fascination with revolutionising the quick journey between the two Californian hockey table. These skis will pass through
way we travel doesn’t just include the electric cities, the Hyperloop’s tubes will be tracks of linear induction motors positioned
Tesla road vehicle or SpaceX rockets. The depressurised to signifi cantly reduce throughout the tube which will
entrepreneur’s most innovative idea yet focuses atmospheric drag on the pods as they zip electromagnetically accelerate or decelerate the
on a high-speed super shuttle called the through. Musk ruled out using a complete pods as required.
Hyperloop. This Futurama-style tube concept is vacuum, however, since this would be diffi cult An eight-kilometre (five-mile) test track of the

billed as a high-speed transport system for both to maintain and even so much as a tiny crack in Hyperloop system is due to be built in California
people and cargo, capable of whizzing between the tube would completely stop the whole next year. If the project is a success, we could
San Francisco to Los Angeles – a total distance of system working. soon see a super-quick form of transport for
around 600 kilometres (372 miles) – in just 35 The pods will have aluminium ski-like people and goods that doesn’t cost lots to run,

minutes. The unconventional design involves fixtures that will have high-pressure air making Hyperloop one of the most exciting
pods travelling through a tube at almost the pumped through them, allowing the capsules to advancements to occur in the travel industry.
speed of sound. To achieve such an incredibly levitate on a cushion of air, similar to an air
Passengers Tube pressure Inside the Hyperloop
Each capsule should be able to hold 28 Reduced pressure – approximately one
passengers, with seating similar to thousandth of the air pressure at sea level Here’s how Elon Musk’s Hyperloop
that on an airplane. – ensures a travelling capsule is faced with will transport passengers quickly
minimal air resistance.
and efficiently from A to B

Aerodynamics
The capsules will need to be
designed with a suitably
aerodynamic shape to cut
through the air.
Design
SpaceX are currently holding
a competition for engineers
to design pods to try out on
the Hyperloop test track.

Tubes
The Hyperloop’s tubes
will be suspended in the
air by pillars, which will
include dampers to help Linear accelerators
withstand earthquakes. The Hyperloop’s propulsion will be Air cushion
provided by linear electric motors which Each capsule will float on a

produce electromagnetic forces that push cushion of air, signifi cantly
the pods along the tube. reducing friction

A taxi service in the sky
Personal helicopters aren’t the only next-gen contact with the track, reducing friction. The
form of travel whisking passengers away from cutting-edge technology, developed with
street level. SkyTran, which has a pilot project NASA’s Ames Research Center, means that the
currently in development in Israel, is a pods generate their own levitation as they
monorail-like system with pods suspended six move, only requiring an initial burst of power
to nine metres (20 to 30 feet) above the ground to start and stop. A 500-metre (1,640-foot) test
and provides high-speed, low-cost transport track will be built at the campus of Israel
for its users. Passengers simply summon a pod Autospace Industries, where the pods will be
to a station via an app on their smartphone and able to reach speeds of up to 70 kilometres (43.5
it takes them where they want to go. The miles) per hour. If the trial is successful, this
system works using maglev technology which all-new form of transport will be installed in
utilises magnets in the rail to levitate the the heart of Tel Aviv, before being introduced to SkyTran’s pilot project will demonstrate a
two-person pods so they are not in direct cities across the world. network of high-speed, low-cost transport

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