We live in an era of global crises. Along with energy, water, inter religious mankind is experiencing the crisis of transport. Take a look! Personal vehicle a piece convenient, but extremely selfish and ineffective: the lion's share of the energy he spends to drag yourself. Public transport is much better consumed space and fuel, but at the cost of personal convenience.
In addition, the planes roads ships are slow, the trains run on schedule. But overall they are still prone to accidents. The Golden mean, combining the advantages and eliminating the disadvantages, not yet invented. But the hope, of course, and right now she is particularly strong: for the transportation problem took a man for whom, it seems, there is no word "impossible".
I'm talking about Elon musk, who is often called "jobs 2.0". And it is still unknown who flatters such a definition. The founder of Apple they have in common is an incredible enthusiasm and efficiency: as you know, for whatever was taken jobs, if he has not solved the problem, then at least forced to talk about her and the approximated solution. But the Mask record still beautiful.
A native of Africa, who studied in Canada and enter USA with eccentric pass (if you believe the legend, he became an American citizen as a master of the game of underwater hockey), Musk has a hand in, or directly founded and managed a series of remarkable and most importantly, successful! Businesses.
His fortune he amassed as co-founder of PayPal, and then nurtured SpaceX (the only private enterprise, systematically transporting cargo to and from ISS), Tesla Motors (seem to be the only profitable automaker specializing in electric cars), SolarCity (the largest in the United States installer of home and business solar panels from the original business model).
At times Musk, of course, goes too far with enthusiasm. For example, he believes that to die on Mars would be cool. Raise your hand, who would want such a fate?
As a result, the duration of the working week is already more than a hundred hours. But last summer, Musk mentioned that work on the same project. On trifles it is not exchanged fundamentally, paying attention only to issues of critical importance to civilization. That's why rocket, that's why the Internet, that's why clean energy. And that is why Hyperloop.
The project is mysterious, not to say secret. Know about it very little: Musk since the first mention partial year shared literally bits of information probably not wanting to reveal the revolutionary notion, until you have completed the theoretical research and, possibly, an agreement was reached with local authorities for the construction of the first transport line. The point, however, moves to a climax: June 20 or shortly after the promised official details. Can you imagine what's going on in the business press. Knowing what are the "crazy ideas" Mask, potential investors, partners, competitors do not get tired to wrestle with: what is Hyperloop?
From told on a press conferences it is possible to make the following picture. Hyperloop fifth (in addition to the above) a method of mass transportation of people and goods over long distances. The objects will move at subsonic speed, which is about 300 m/s or, equivalently, that over a thousand kilometers per hour. It does not require the construction of railroads or the construction of vacuum tunnels: comic definition Elon, this recently, Hyperloop will be something of a hybrid aircraft, electromagnetic cannon (the so called railgun) and air hockey (Board game, where the puck is suspended above the field on the airbag).
For the construction of Hyperloop highway between San Francisco and Los Angeles (the two biggest cities of the Pacific coast States) will have to spend six billion dollars.
And the country will have a unique transport line, transporting annually over one hundred million people, regardless of the weather, sending people and cargo immediately on arrival at the station, at prices lower than for transportation by any other mode of transport receive own energy through installed along the line of solar panels, and even with a zero accident rate.
Six billion dollars a billion for every hundred kilometers of trunk seem like a crazy amount. But everything is relative. High speed railway to be built here at a cost of more than an order of magnitude does not provide neither the speed nor the price, nor include Hyperloop. So another high tech fantasy Mask stands on a solid Foundation. The only response to the question, how does it work.
Despite a lively debate in the press and on forums, advanced versions of some. One of the most popular is that of Hyperloop is an underground tunnel, which loading platform of a Maglev accelerates the running electromagnetic field.
Such a construction is in the 70 offered in the US (Very High Speed Transit System), and even then it was technically feasible, except that very expensive. Another version even working on the subject of construction (project company ET3) involves the construction of the already above ground tunnel, which should reduce the cost of good design.
The main drawback of both is, however, that tunnel is supposed to pump out air, while Hyperloop vacuum is not required. In addition, many kilometers of tunnels do not look and absolutely safe.
The decision seems impossible, but Musk is laughing at that word. He is no stranger to breaking the resistance of the skeptics: every project met this wave of doubt that would be enough for ten years ahead particularly the electric car, the idea to mess with which even the Musk calls today "a foolish, if not crazy".
But Tesla Motors already profitable, plans for two budget models (the compact SUV and sedan) and a significant expansion of the network of filling stations around the United States. We can assume that for Hyperloop theoretical solution is ready, and most likely, there is a demonstration prototype. Just Musk knows how to keep his mouth shut.
The enterprise Mask, when possible, is not patented and advertise their innovative technical solutions, preferring to work in silence. This is not a whim but a vital necessity: it is necessary to keep the key technologies from falling into the hands of people who do not care about copyright (nods in the direction of China). That's why we know so little about the Hyperloop. In a few weeks, the veil of secrecy will finally be lifted, in the meantime, take it as a puzzle. Any ideas?