Saturday 28 January 2017

Hyperloop- rocket on rail

With the changing trends in technology, from home appliances to transport, everything is becoming advanced and gaining speed. The thing that is going to change the transport phase across the world is the Hyperloop


Hyperloop concept was created in 2012 by none other than the famous entrepreneur and Tesla founder Elon Musk. Recently the Indian government has planned to test Hyperloop transportation between Delhi to Mumbai. The normal train takes around 20-21 hrs. To travel from Delhi to Mumbai, but with Hyperloop travelling at a speed of 1200km/hr. , it would take just 70 mins. That’s truly incredible. Hyperloop was first tested in the deserts of California, USA and then in Dubai also.

Technology used


This concept mainly works on the principle of magnetism and induction theory. According to Wikipedia" Hyperloop is a proposed mode of passenger and freight transportation that propels a pod-like vehicle through a near-vacuum tube at more than airline speed." The pods used which is about the size of a human would accelerate to cruising speed gradually using a linear electric motor and glide above their track using passive magnetic levitation or air bearings. The tubes could also go above ground on columns or underground, eliminating the dangers of grade crossings. This system may also work on artificial intelligence and be driver-less.  The Hyperloop train will be in the shape of a tube inside which different individual pods will be used.



Hyperloop concept was open sourced to various other companies by Elon musk so that more research could be done with the aim of reducing construction cost as initial statements states up to $7 billion for this project.

The companies that are working on Hyperloop are:
1. Hyperloop transportation technologies (HTT), California
2. Hyperloop one (the first one to conduct a test), California.
3. AECOM
4. Hyperloop India founded by Sibesh Kar (BITS Pilani). Team Hyperloop India is an exceptional non-profit company that consists of 60+ student members of engineering and business field, who eagerly want to improve the transport medium in India. In January 2016, the team from BITS was the only fully-funded team from India to make it to the SpaceX Hyperloop Design Weekend in College Station, Texas.

HTT chief says that it is better to invest $1 billion in Hyperloop than investing $12 billion in bullet trains in India. We should also be proud that around 25 Indian engineers out of 800 are working with HTT to achieve this success in transport field.


The Hyperloop will work on renewable energies from wind and sun and will be able carry around 1.44 lakh passengers daily for a cost of Rs. 200 for 500 kms.

Medical effects


But there are some medical effects on our body that can be caused by travelling in high speed Hyperloop. The main effect can come in the form of puking. Maximum speed can also cause the gravitational force to hit right on to our chest and it may affect the blood flow in the body and even cause nausea. This speed of 1200km/hr. is not at all suitable for pregnant ladies. The astronauts are trained to travel in this particular speed.


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