Hyperloop at VCU finishes construction of SpaceX Hyperloop competition pod

A student speaking at the Hyperloop pod unveiling on June 26, 2018
John Naylor and Matthew Kozak, co-leads of Hyperloop at VCU's controls team, present the team's pod vehicle to a standing-room-only audience.

by Leila Ugincius
University Public Affairs

RICHMOND, Va. (June 26, 2018) – A Virginia Commonwealth University student team — part of an elite group of 20 teams selected internationally to advance to the final round of the 2018 SpaceX Hyperloop Pod Competition this summer — today unveiled its fully constructed competition pod vehicle to the Richmond community.

The competition challenges university teams to design and build the best transport pod for Hyperloop, a high-speed ground transport concept being advanced by SpaceX founder Elon Musk. The primary criterion is achieving maximum speed with the self-propelled vehicle.

Hyperloop at VCU comprises more than 40 students from across the university in the fields of engineering, business, arts and humanities and sciences. Students built the 69-by-23-by-22-inch pod at Build, RVA, a community makerspace and product incubator, working mostly at night to accommodate jobs and internships.

“I am so proud of our students, who give us a glimpse into the future of transportation for materials and people, all at higher speeds than we can imagine,” said VCU President Michael Rao, Ph.D. “And this is no surprise. At VCU, we’re used to doing what seems impossible to others, to tackling the problems that will move humanity forward. They represent us well and personify our greatest commitment to tackle social problems and advance the social good.”

Hyperloop at VCU is part of the Vertically Integrated Projects program within the VCU College of Engineering. The VIP program provides undergraduate students the opportunity to participate in multiyear, multidisciplinary, team-based projects under the guidance of faculty and graduate students in their areas of expertise. It enables the completion of large-scale design projects that are of significant benefit to associated research programs.

“The VIP program gives students at all stages of their education the opportunity to learn to mentor as well as to solve complex problems that require a transdisciplinary approach for their solution. The success of our HyperLoop team reflects the creativity and innovation that is the heart of VCU and shows the power of VIP experiential learning,” said Barbara Boyan, Ph.D., dean of the VCU College of Engineering and Alice T. and William H. Goodwin Jr. Chair.

The frame of the VCU pod is made from sheet metal with a fiberglass shell optimized for minimal drag in high-speed applications. Internal components include electronic controls, mechanical components, pod propulsion systems, batteries and brake system. The pod’s calculated speed is over 100 mph. It will ship to SpaceX headquarters in Hawthorne, California, for testing by early July. Teams whose pods pass safety and speed requirements during the testing week will race on July 22.

Learn more about Hyperloop at VCU:

Hyperloop at VCU homepage

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