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Hyperloop

spacex.com

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Re: Hyperloop

#31

Post by marvin »

sethbannon wrote: post #10

It's very interesting that this is a SpaceX project. Why not Tesla, or another company entirely?

This is not going to happen. It is a very rich, successful engineer musing at what might be possible if we thought radically different about transportation. I'm as big a fan of Elon Musk's projects as anyone, but the weight assigned to these napkin calculations is ridiculous.

[Edit: If anything, this might lead people to take this type of eccentric and radical design more seriously. But given the criticism Musk's engineering ventures have had before, I wouldn't count on it.]

Re: Hyperloop

#32

Post by aresant »

"In the case of the Hyperloop, Musk started focusing on public transportation after he grew disenchanted with the plans for California’s high-speed rail system."

And who says that big government stifles entrepreneurial innovation?

If ALL Musk does with the Hyperloop announcement is shed more light on the potential debacle that is to be our $70b+ high-speed rail in California, we owe him a debt of gratitude.

PS - Direct link to the Hyperloop plans .PDF http://www.spacex.com/sites/spacex/files/hyperloop_alpha-201...

Re: Hyperloop

#34

Post by _random_ »

I think his vision is based on Futurama: electric cars -> spaceships -> elevated transportation tubes -> hover cars -> robots. I bet if the government still goes with the traditional rail plan, then Elon will build "his own hyperloop", adding "blackjack..." and other stuff.

Re: Hyperloop

#35

Post by thatoneguy »

From my skimming of the PDF, it sounds like a pneumatic tube transportation system with a compressor fan on the front of the vehicle that moves high-pressure air from the front to the back maintaining a low-pressure state around the vehicle. Kind of like an Earth-bound Alcubierre drive.

Re: Hyperloop

#36

Post by jared314 »

> Hyperloop is considered an open source transportation concept.

I'm glad they didn't just let the idea die on a drawing board somewhere because of a lack of time/money. Now, someone has to just develop it faster than someone else can legislate against it.

Re: Hyperloop

#37

Post by zeckalpha »

aresant wrote: post #32

"In the case of the Hyperloop, Musk started focusing on public transportation after he grew disenchanted with the plans for California’s high-speed rail system." And who says that big government stifles entrepreneurial innovation? If ALL Musk does with the Hyperloop announcement is shed more light on the potential debacle that is to be our $70b+ high-speed rail in California, we owe him a debt of gratitude. PS - Dire…

Comments on the whitepaper: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=6201728

Re: Hyperloop

#38

Post by avree »

[deleted] wrote: post #6

[deleted]

The page contains a full description of the Hyperloop and a link to a PDF with technical details.

You're linking to your own HN story, which has fewer comments, and fewer details in the actual story. (Also, why not link directly to the _actual_ news story @ Businessweek as you mention?)

Re: Hyperloop

#39

Post by argumentum »

sethbannon wrote: post #10

It's very interesting that this is a SpaceX project. Why not Tesla, or another company entirely?

Feedback is welcomed on these or any useful aspects of the Hyperloop design. E-mail feedback to hyperloop@spacex.com or hyperloop@teslamotors.com.

- from the pdf

Re: Hyperloop

#40

Post by venomsnake »

(Figure 1). The only system that comes close to matching the low energy requirements of Hyperloop is the fully electric Tesla Model S.

Shameless plug of the day :) So far it does not break too much of the laws of physics and is indeed workable.

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