It takes about 6 hours to fly from New York City to Los Angeles or you have to drive 3,000 miles and you’ll spend more than 40 hours on the road, so it will take several days at least. However, in the near future the trip may take a matter of minutes.
Designers of the supersonic transport system called Hyperloop say they are one step closer to making this a reality. Elon Musk’s idea for the new form of transportation was revealed in full details in a 57-page white paper and later Tesla founder held a 30-minute conference. Hyperloop has teamed up with a group of UCLA graduate architecture students to develop the technology. The designs for the new form of transportation are open source and Hyperloop is currently looking for people with different backgrounds to work on the project.
Elon Musk, 42-year old entrepreneur, founder of PayPal, electric car maker Tesla Motors and space technology company Space X, describes the Hyperloop as “the fifth mode of transportation” after trains, planes, cars and boats. It would go “faster than speed of sound” and it will make it possible to live in San Francisco and work in Los Angeles, according to Musk.
The Hyperloop is planned to be built in two stages. The first stage will connect San Francisco to Los Angeles. A second loop will eventually transport passengers between New York City and Los Angeles in only 45 minutes.
The revolutionary transport system would feature above-ground low-pressurized tube built on top of pylons. A 28-person pod on a cushion of air would be blasted through the tunnel at a speed of almost 800 mph. The travelers would not notice the speed and they would feel like being in a plane. The trip would be “super smooth and quiet”. A ride would be less expensive than traveling by plane, $30 from LA to San Francisco, as the system runs on solar power and it could move 24/7 without batteries. Musk said the Hyperloop is three or four times faster than the bullet trains.
According to Hyperloop CEO Dirk Ahlborn, “the only resistance would be the air in front of the capsule” which they move to the back with the help of an air compressor. With about $6 billion Hyperloop could become a reality in about 10 years, added Ahlborn.
Although there are a lot of unclear points on the project, Hyperloop would be undeniably both fast and inexpensive means of transport for people and goods.
