TUM Hyperloop Wins SpaceX 2019 Competition
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Once again, the students of the Technical University of Munich (TUM) were victorious at the annual SpaceX Hyperloop global competition in California – their fourth win in a row.
In 2013, Space X founder Elon Musk introduced the concept of Hyperloops, ultrafast trains that race through an evacuated tube system.
The TUM Hyperloop team's pod hit an incredible top speed of 288 mph (463 km/h), far ahead of the second-placed Swissloop team from ETH Zurich who achieved 160 mph (257.5 km/h).
Another Swiss team finished third, with the EPFLoop team of the EPFL in Lausanne reaching 148 mph (238 km/h). The pod of the TU Delft in the Netherlands finished fourth at 125mph (201 km/h), but triggered a full stop after 200 meters, following a communication breakdown.
100 Tests Passed
During the competition week, the Hyperloop pods have to pass 100 tests.
TUM team manager Toni Jukic said: "We passed all tests successfully, but not all at the first attempt. Components failed and part of the software had to be rewritten. But, in many night shifts they ultimately managed to solve all problems.
"The Pod is the result of a four-year evolution, so to speak. We learned every year and implemented the results. Even though we did not break our world record (290mph previously set by TUM in 2018), achieving the fourth victory in the fourth race, is unbelievable. We are elated."
TUM Hyperloop - POD IV - Making Of Video
Levitation pod and tube system
As in previous years, the SpaceX Hyperloop competition was judged solely on one criteria: maximum speed with successful deceleration (i.e. without crashing). All pods had to be self-propelled.
However, the 15-student TUM Hyperloop Research Team has also been working on an additional prototype pod, to explore the Hyperloop concept for feasibility, sustainability and cost-effectiveness. The further pod had a functioning levitation system, which they presented at the competition along with an associated ultra-rigid concrete tube system.
TUM Hyperloop - POD IV - Going Deep Inside
New Track for 2020?
CEO Elon Musk capped the successful event with a big claim: in 2020, SpaceX plans to host Competition 5 at a brand-new vacuum tunnel that could offer all kinds of new opportunities to next year’s student teams.
According to Musk, that new track – presumably to be built by The Boring Company with SpaceX help – could be up to 10 km (6.2 mi) in length, will support a full vacuum (like its 1 mile long) predecessor, and will feature a curved track.
Those features could support truly insane top speeds and allow teams to test pods with far more realistic acceleration profiles relative to those that have been tested at SpaceX’s track in the last few years.
RS Components is a proud Silver Sponsor of the TUM Hyperloop Team and would like to congratulate everybody involved for another successful competition.