Hyperloop at VCU's entry in the 2018 SpaceX Hyperloop Pod Competition (Photo courtesy VCU College of Engineering)
A diverse group of more than three dozen VCU students is one of just 20 teams from around the world chosen to advance to the finals of the 2018 SpaceX Hyperloop Pod Competition in California July 22, a contest created to encourage innovation in transportation. The students behind VCU's competing pod vehicle include engineering, business, science and arts majors who have collaborated to build a top contender in this year's competition.
Hyperloop at VCU is part of the Vertically Integrated Projects program within VCU's College of Engineering. The original idea for the Hyperloop Pod Competition came from SpaceX founder and CEO Elon Musk; the competition challenges university teams from all over the world to create the best and fastest transport pod.
Arthur Chadwick, a rising junior engineering student at VCU and founder and president of Hyperloop at VCU, says, “I wanted to dive into a project that would get me more involved in engineering principles and [allow me to] gain more experience with a team; I looked into seeing if [the competition] was feasible for us to do, and it was.”
Brainstorming for the competition began in the fall of 2017, and the work has not let up since. Designing, building and collaborating with fellow team members has taught these students not only how to build a self-propelled and aerodynamic pod vehicle, but how to adapt their design to obstacles they faced along the way.
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The Hyperloop at VCU team (Photo courtesy VCU College of Engineering)
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Matthew Kozak, controls co-lead for Hyperloop at VCU (Photo by Haley Cummings)
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The technology beneath the fiberglass shell of VCU's Hyperloop pod (Photo by Haley Cummings)
“We have taken a lot of precautions throughout the project, and, talking to our advisors, we have simplified our design a lot,” says Matthew Kozak, a rising junior engineering student and controls co-lead for Hyperloop at VCU. “We’ve eliminated some systems that gave teams trouble in the past when they went through safety checks. I think we are in a better position than a lot of other teams to get through safety checks, and hopefully get to be one of the teams that races in the tube,” he says, referring to the approximately mile-long tubular Hyperloop track at SpaceX.
Thus far the team has had to interpret the rules of the competition, submit an intent to compete form, submit preliminary designs for the pod, create simulated images of the pod and submit a final design project. The entire process of designing and building the pod has been similar to a second job for these students, they say.
The Hyperloop at VCU pod cost around $70,000 to build and is composed of aluminum, manufactured parts from the VCU team and various companies, brake and suspension systems, and a fiberglass shell. “Our shell is more aerodynamic than a Bugatti,” says Chadwick.
In February, once the team had completed the initial hard work and made it through the early stages of the competition, Hyperloop at VCU received the news from SpaceX that they were one of this year's top teams.
Hyperloop at VCU and the College of Engineering held a "grand opening" for the pod June 26, where the creation was unveiled to the public. The pod will be shipped to Hawthorne, California, today to undergo safety and mechanical tests ahead of the final competition. Hyperloop at VCU students will spend the week before the competition working with the SpaceX team on those tests. Along with team members and mentors traveling to the West Coast for the event, VCU President Michael Rao will be flying out to show the team support.
Hyperloop at VCU will also be showcasing the promotional video for their vehicle in a feature article for VCU News coming July 9.
While the team of students has accomplished designing and building a state-of-the-art transport pod, they will need community support to continue innovating for years to come. Contributions to Hyperloop at VCU will go toward the purchase materials and parts for future inventions, as well as help fund the students' transportation to California. Visit the Hyperloop at VCU website to learn more about sponsorships or make a donation.
