TUDelft Hyperloop team unveiled new hyperloop capsule Atlas 02
On Monday, June 3rd, the Delft Hyperloop Team held an event in the Auditorium of Delft University of Technology. Here, they unveiled their new hyperloop capsule, Atlas 02. With this vehicle, the team will participate in the SpaceX Hyperloop Pod Competition on July 21st, which will be held in Los Angeles, California. The goal of the team is to win and break the current world speed record of 467 km/h on a one-kilometer track.
The Hyperloop team at TU Delft consists of 40 students who build a fully working prototype for the race in just one year. The competition only has one criterion: go as fast as possible. Of the 22 globally selected teams, only three teams will actually be allowed to enter the tube to race. The team must first pass 122 safety tests before they have a chance to finish in the top three. “These tests are intended to demonstrate that our vehicle is functioning properly and that all safety requirements are being met. There are elements that are tested such as the brake system, whether the pod can handle the vacuum in the tube and whether the software works properly. These tests must all be completed successfully before the final run,” says Team Captain Rieneke van Noort. To prepare as well as possible for the tests, the student team is already busy performing comparable tests.
Project Manager Arjan Buijserd mentioned in the presentation: “The SpaceX tube is only 1 km long. Within this kilometer, we have to show that we have built the best prototype and are going to break the world record. We are working on something completely new, we literally have to reinvent the wheel.” After the unveiling of Atlas 02, Chief Engineer Elja Ebbens explained more about the technical details of the vehicle. For example, Elja explained that the vehicle has enough power to light up more than 20,000 light bulbs at the same time; “Atlas 02 is designed to achieve high speeds at a short distance. This allows the vehicle to accelerate faster and achieve higher speeds than a contemporary Formula 1 car. It also brakes almost four times as fast. All this to ensure that the speed target is achieved; half the speed of the sound."
Naast de SpaceX competitie heeft het team een onderzoeksafdeling dat zich bezighoudt met de implementatie van een hyperloop systeem in de maatschappij. In de presentatie nam van Noort het publiek mee met een kijkje in de toekomst; hoe zal men over 20 jaar transporteren door middel van een hyperloop. Zo werd er op het podium een VR experience van een toekomstig hyperloop station laten zien welke is gemaakt in samenwerking met INDG en Altspace. Voor het echter zover is zullen er nog uitdagingen overwonnen moeten worden. Zo moeten verschillende partijen worden samengebracht, is een mogelijke testbaan nodig om de veiligheid te testen en moeten bijvoorbeeld highspeed switches worden ontworpen.
In addition to focussing on the SpaceX competition, the team has a research department that deals with the implementation of a hyperloop system in society. In the presentation, van Noort gave the audience a glimpse into the future; how will people transport in 20 years with the use of a hyperloop. For example, a VR experience of a future hyperloop station was shown on stage, created in collaboration with INDG and Altspace. However, before we are there, we still have to overcome a lot of challenges. For example, different parties must be brought together, a possible test track is needed to test the safety and, high-speed switches must be designed.
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