The next big innovation in transportation is just around the corner, or so it seems. The Hyperloop, as described by Elon Musk, is a mode of transportation that can take people across the country in minutes, completely changing everyday life. The idea behind the Hyperloop is to create an environment in which a vehicle can move with little or no air resistance or friction, allowing for near-supersonic travel. While this may seem far-fetched, many people believe it is possible to do it. While there are many technological, political and financial hurdles to maneuver, I believe Hyperloop is the future of science rather than science fiction. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay In the article written by James Vhalos, he talks to one of the leading figures in the hyper loop race, Dirk Ahlborn, who is the CEO of Hyperloop Transportation Technologies (HTT). Ahlborn shares his passion for the project along with the growing interest in it around the world. HTT attracts many different people with a wide variety of professions who come to work for the project. Even more impressive, all these people come to work without any payment, the only reason they work is the hope that the company will enter a publicly traded market and they will have shares in it. There is not a single paid employee on Ahlborn's staff. The only motivation to work on the project for these extremely bright people is the passion to do what has never been done. A great team has been put together, but there are so many boundaries that need to be crossed. The first dilemma to face is the financial one. When Musk first introduced the Hyperloop, he gave a construction estimate of $6 billion, and many industry experts said that figure doesn't even come close to actual costs. Not to mention that the estimate made by Musk only concerned a runway from Los Angeles to San Francisco, imagine how much it would cost to build one of these runways to other countries or around the world. Many of the problems that go hand in hand with financial issues are technological in nature. With such a new and radical idea, there will be a lot of uncertainty in creation and development. For example, engineers have determined that current models are not feasible. Some of NASA's top engineers have analyzed the Hyperloop's architecture and determined that current measurements are incapable of traveling at the speeds suggested. They suggest that the tube will need to be much larger than the capsule. The model presented by Musk had a tunnel with a diameter large enough to fit the capsule with very little room for maneuver, but according to NASA scientists a realistic model will have to be much larger, which will increase the price. Another expensive technological issue is the materials and structures used in construction. The leading theory for how engineers will make the capsule move lies in a special type of motor called linear induction motors. These motors create a magnetic gap between the pylon and the capsule. This technology is already used in vehicles such as roller coasters and subways, but current technology doesn't lend itself to the speeds at which the Hyperloop is expected to travel. Even if scientists don't want to invent applicable technologies as they go along, they will most likely have to. Having to make everything from scratch will make the undertaking increasingly expensive. Just to add to the mountain that Hyperloopfaithful already has to overcome, there are political and geographical issues. If the likes of Musk and Ahlborn wanted to build and.
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