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[olemars]

Neat test of spaceX grasshopper rocket

http://www.spacex.com/news/2013/08/14/grasshopper-100m-lateral-divert-test

Not groundbreaking, but pretty impressive how a somewhat heavy rocket can land without spending much time and fuel stabilizing it first.

Oddly related: I got a test drive with a Tesla S today, and I have to say Elon Musk is probably the most important entrepeneur of this generation.

[Sheb]

At least when he is not trying to revolutionize trains.

[Drakale]

At least when he is not trying to revolutionize trains.

Nothing wrong about his hyper loop concept*, he just does not have the funds and resource to develop it properly so he shelved it for now.


*From an engineering POV, I have no idea if it would be economically viable.

[MetalSlimeHunt]

Being that one has never been built, it is hard to tell.

[Sheb]

And if you don't mind taking way more G of lateral acceleration than the rest of the industry.

[Drakale]

And if you don't mind taking way more G of lateral acceleration than the rest of the industry.

That's a good point, but wouldn't it be possible to slightly rotate the vehicle within the loop so that the perceived g force stays more or less vertical from the passenger POV?

[10ebbor10]

And if you don't mind taking way more G of lateral acceleration than the rest of the industry.

That's a good point, but wouldn't it be possible to slightly rotate the vehicle within the loop so that the perceived g force stays more or less vertical from the passenger POV?

That's the point of the design. Still means that you'll suddenly get more pressure.

But I must note that the comparison of the Hyperloop versus standard trains is unfair. Especially the cost. I mean, 5 billion versus 60 seems like a good deal, but they neglect to mention that:
a) You'd need at least 3 hyperloops, maybe more  to cover even the minimum expected amounts of passengers on the highspeed line.
b) Ground prices could double the price, and then there's the budget creep. Unlikely to be cheaper/

[Sheb]

Yeah, that guys' estimate were wayyyy of, for both cost and power consumptions.

But I must admit, That guy put his money in cool places, both SpaceX and Tesla seems like great idea to spend his cash.

[lemon10]

And if you don't mind taking way more G of lateral acceleration than the rest of the industry.

That's a good point, but wouldn't it be possible to slightly rotate the vehicle within the loop so that the perceived g force stays more or less vertical from the passenger POV?

That's the point of the design. Still means that you'll suddenly get more pressure.

But I must note that the comparison of the Hyperloop versus standard trains is unfair. Especially the cost. I mean, 5 billion versus 60 seems like a good deal, but they neglect to mention that:
a) You'd need at least 3 hyperloops, maybe more  to cover even the minimum expected amounts of passengers on the highspeed line.
b) Ground prices could double the price, and then there's the budget creep. Unlikely to be cheaper/

Still, assuming that A is true, and he *did* underestimate costs by 300-500%, its still significantly more cost effective then standard rail.
Assuming that it even works in the first place that is.

[Sheb]

Yeah, but things are always cheaper on paper. Frankly, why would new, untested technology be significantly cheaper?

[10ebbor10]

Michael Anderson, a professor of agricultural and resource economics at UC Berkeley, predicted that "You're talking $100 billion to build what they’re proposing."[

Maybe exaggerated.

[Drakale]

I calculated an estimate of the cost for a 350 mile segment using the price for laying down a pipelines with the same diameter as a basis. I multiplied that cost by a factor of 4 due to the more complex setup than a pipeline and other factors such as elevation and it gives a cost of 3.5 billion, or 7 billion of you want 2 lines. This does not include the r&d cost or the vehicle itself, which is estimated between 1.5 and 3 million a piece.

Maybe I'm on the low end with a factor of 4, but it still seem like a good ballpark figure.

On a totally unrelated note, while reading a wikipedia article I learned that Germany and Denmark both have beer pipelines. The one in Denmark is called the Thor pipeline. That just made my day...

[Lagslayer]

A beer utility company.

[Eric Blank]

Beer delivered via plumbing... and the product tastes just fine?

This sounds like something for dwarf fortress: pipeways delivering booze directly to dwarves' bedrooms.

[Gentlefish]

All dwarves are issued one tap and one mug.