Early design concept of the track

For the design of the track we wanted to ensure that our scale model was as accurate to SpaceX’s description as possible.

A few decisions that we made initially stuck with our design to the final iteration: use of clear tubing, linear track (curving was not feasible), couplings to join the interfaces of the tubing segments, and concrete pylons to support the entire system. Above is a very early, simple prototype.

From the initial concept we learned a great deal for future design iterations. Some issue that arose from the concept that we worked to address in the physical track were:

• Tube support: For experimentation the pod would require a straight and level tube to travel in. To prevent the tube from sagging under its own weight a steel support tube was worked into the track design.
• Sub-Track: In accordance with the SpaceX competition design, flat aluminum bars were added to the design to provide a sub-track. These 10ft long bars were designed to be align along the track length using mounted brackets. This allowed us to achieve a consistent elevation from section to section as well as removing any twist from occurring on the sub-track.
• Connections: To properly align the tube sections to one another, couplers were added to link tube sections while providing a tight seal and good alignment between sections.

A revised design shown above allowed for alignment of the tubes.

We were hesitant to make too many concrete design decisions initially because SpaceX had yet to release the specifications for the track. It would have been inconvenient if we had to redesign because the designated subtrack did not fit in.

Key Design Changes from First Iteration to Final Prototype:

• 100 feet length down to 60 feet for monetary reasons
• Adjustment brackets to ensure tube sections are aligned were placed at every junction (every ten feet) instead of every three feet.
• Incorporation of design of subtrack specified by SpaceX. Many material choices were considered because flatness was of high importance so that the pod would have a smooth ride.
• Considered running two tracks, one on each side of the pylons, but dismissed for feasibility issues.
•  Addition of camera system to one side of the pylons so that the pod could be track and its aerodynamics studied.

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