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Hyperloop - Elon Musk

  • 13-08-2013 10:48am
    #1
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 997 ✭✭✭


    There is a discussion on AH, but I thought this would be a good forum for it.

    http://www.spacex.com/sites/spacex/files/hyperloop_alpha-20130812.pdf

    Firstly, I do not have enough knowledge on the subject matter to say this is workable or not. However, the idea, even as a discussion is good IMO.

    My gut feeling, is even it could work, the cost of it, when compared to high speed rail is a bit optimistic. Elon Musk says it will come around $10B to connect SF to LA. The proposed high speed rail is going to hit 75 Billion mark.

    Any opinions on this - pie in the sky or a new revolution on human mobility?


Comments

  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,098 ✭✭✭fly_agaric


    Colm R wrote: »
    There is a discussion on AH, but I thought this would be a good forum for it.

    http://www.spacex.com/sites/spacex/files/hyperloop_alpha-20130812.pdf

    Firstly, I do not have enough knowledge on the subject matter to say this is workable or not. However, the idea, even as a discussion is good IMO.

    My gut feeling, is even it could work, the cost of it, when compared to high speed rail is a bit optimistic. Elon Musk says it will come around $10B to connect SF to LA. The proposed high speed rail is going to hit 75 Billion mark.

    Any opinions on this - pie in the sky or a new revolution on human mobility?

    1 brief opinion from a non-expert; its a new idea (well, an old sci-fi type idea; recall something like this making an appearance in the Starship Troopers film), never implemented before. It might be great but I don't see how it could work out to be cheaper (at least to get up and running as opposed to over a 50-100 year lifespan) than the high speed rail technologies already proven in other countries. Even a mag-lev rail line should be cheaper than it imo since it has been done before.


  • Moderators, Music Moderators Posts: 12,850 Mod ✭✭✭✭iamstop


    I'm loving the basic concept. I'm just wondering how people get in and out of the pods without stopping the whole thing. I've not found it explained anywhere properly.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 7,920 ✭✭✭munchkin_utd


    it has a laughably low capacity which knocks the idea clean out of the water.

    One person every 30 seconds is a mere 120people per hour so 2 bus loads between 2 massive cities or less than a single normal 737 sized airplane and a fraction of a larger airplane.
    And its not scalable.

    If you build a railway (or airport) you can always add extra vehicles if demand increases.
    With this you have a very low capacity that cannot be altered.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 997 ✭✭✭Colm R


    it has a laughably low capacity which knocks the idea clean out of the water.

    One person every 30 seconds is a mere 120people per hour so 2 bus loads between 2 massive cities or less than a single normal 737 sized airplane and a fraction of a larger airplane.
    And its not scalable.

    If you build a railway (or airport) you can always add extra vehicles if demand increases.
    With this you have a very low capacity that cannot be altered.

    Its not even a POC yet, but the document says the Pod would carry 28 people or a car. That a could be a whopping 3360 people a hour.

    Positives:

    - the land grab is small and could possibly be build alongside existing interstates - in fact he thinks for the POC, it should run along Interstate 5.

    - building along existing roads means construction is easier in remote areas.

    - if it works, the energy requirement after construction is small.


    Negatives:

    - its not even a proof of concept yet.

    - it will be very hard to get investors to back a new concept like this.


    I think if anyone is serious about taking this on, SF to LA is too ambitious as a first build. I think they need to look at something smaller, possibly in the desert. A distance whereby you can prove the system launches, maintains speed and slows down again.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 197 ✭✭theSHU


    Virgin Galactic's new spaceplane is said to be able to fly from London to Sydney in 2hrs.


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 556 ✭✭✭danotroy


    theSHU wrote: »
    Virgin Galactic's new spaceplane is said to be able to fly from London to Sydney in 2hrs.

    really? is it going to do this? or will a similar craft be built to do this?


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 911 ✭✭✭steve-o


    danotroy wrote: »
    really? is it going to do this? or will a similar craft be built to do this?
    Branson's spaceplane is no more than a toy. It will fling people high in the sky for a few minutes, just high enough to reach a technical line that let's them brag at the golf club that they've been in space. It's a cool machine, but has no practical use at all.

    Musk, on the other hand, is building real spacecraft for a fraction of the cost that NASA used to.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 8,779 ✭✭✭Carawaystick




  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 8,229 ✭✭✭LeinsterDub



    Not sure the relevance of that test to hyper loop it's a sled on a track


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