Hyperloop Alpha
A 57-page white paper released by Elon Musk proposing an open-source, 700-mph transport concept between Los Angeles and San Francisco, using capsules traveling through low-pressure tubes.
In his introduction, Elon Musk recounts being asked repeatedly about California's high-speed rail project and explains his frustration that it would be one of the most expensive and slowest in the world. He proposes the Hyperloop as a fifth mode of transport, alongside planes, trains, cars, and boats, describing it as a cross between the Concorde, a railgun, and an air hockey table. He stresses that this alpha-level design is released as open source, inviting engineers and companies everywhere to critique, improve, and ultimately help build the system, since SpaceX and Tesla remain focused on their primary missions.