The UMDLoop team, comprised of about 60 undergraduate students, is working to make advanced high-speed transportation a reality. Elon Musk, the founder of Tesla Motors, SpaceX, and PayPal, has proposed a vision for an almost frictionless, magnetically-levitated pod that hurtles at near super-sonic speeds through a tube in near vacuum. This idea, called Hyperloop, has taken the world by a storm, and now international students and experts are working to refine the Hyperloop vehicle and system. The UMD team’s pod prototype was tested on Space X’s mile-long test track in Hawthorne, California, and the team continues to participate in annual competitions.
This year, UMDLoop is developing an electrical motorized pod with the intention of competing in Space X’s Hyperloop Competition V. The goal of the competition is to create the fastest vehicle on the track. As a result, UMD’s pod will be as lightweight and structurally sound as possible. A system at high speeds brings many new challenges to consider: brake forces, thermal issues, and structural support. UMDLoop will continue to research these issues and develop a first-class pod.
Thank you for your support in helping UMDLoop to cross the finish line!