Hyperloop, the concept of traversing a lengthy distance at speeds greater than 800 mph in mere minutes, is soon to become the future of mobility. But, several major players are presently involved in turning this mind-boggling concept into a commercially viable system.
On one hand, Hyperloop One is building out its near-vacuum test track in the middle of the Nevada desert. While on the other, its rival Hyperloop Transportation Technologies (HTT) has today announced that it has started building their first full-scale passenger capsule that’ll carry humans through low-pressure tubes to their destination at supersonic speeds. This project is expected to be completed by early 2018, which is when it’ll be official revealed.
Commenting on this significant move, HTT CEO Dirk Ahlborn said,
We are building the world’s first full-scale passenger hyperloop capsule. We are taking a passenger first approach to guarantee that safety is always our number one concern. It has been crucial in our development to go past the simple requirements of freight in order to build a better and safer system for everyone.
Further, the press statement continues to mention the rigorous work that has gone into design, research, and analysis of the capsule’s design. The construction work is currently being carried out at HTT’s research and development center in Toulouse, France.
It took HTT nearly three years to arrive at the present stage, where it is officially building a pod that is no longer a prototype but will be used commercially in their hyperloop system. The company further adds that the said system will be announced really soon, as they’re currently amid negotiations with partners.
Also, HTT mentions that it currently needs to figure out the feasibility of building its tracks across the globe, and well India is surely one of the locations in its cross-hairs. But, it already has Hyperloop installation agreements with France, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Indonesia, and the United Arab Emirates. And it is now looking to add more regions, but there is no information on which region is going to get the first installation.
HTT has courted Carbures S.A, an engineering firm specializing in building parts or whole aerospace, defense, and space systems, for the construction of its first commercial passenger capsule. It has also shed light on the specifications of their capsule, which measures 30 meters in length and 2.7 meters in diameter. It weighs about 20 tons (~18,000 kilograms) and can jettison 28 to 40 passengers on one trip, depending on the final parameters. It will traverse at speeds of up to 760 mph (1223 km/h).
Talking about their involvement in this project, Carbures co-founder and Chairman Rafael Contreras said,
This is a fascinating project utilizing our expertise and technology around the world. We are pleased to work in this innovative, global, and important project.
Carbures has worked on a multitude of aerospace projects across the globe, but this would have to be a significant addition to its whole portfolio. Building out the futuristic pod-like passenger capsule for Hyperloop travel systems has been handed down to an appropriate engineering team, who is experienced in building airplanes or similar objects for space travel. It will employ the same in building this future mobility option for us humans.
