Researchers at NASA's Dryden Flight Research Center recently captured imagery of supersonic shockwaves streaming from two research aircraft using a newly developed high-tech schlieren imaging system. The Ground-to-Air Schlieren Photography System, developed by MetroLaser, Inc., under a Small Business Innovation Research contract, employed telescopes, digital cameras and specialized image-processing software to record imagery of airflow density, in this case the density of the shockwaves, as F-15 and F/A-18 aircraft passed between the cameras and the sun. By providing a clearer understanding of the location and relative strength of supersonic shockwaves, schlieren imaging represents another tool in the growing toolbox of techniques used by NASA researchers designed to characterize sonic booms.
2013 Solar Car Unveiling HD umnCSE umnCSE 374 views
"Elon Musk unveils Hyperloop, a futuristic, solar-powered supersonic pod-train"
Published on Jul 26, 2013
The University of Minnesota Solar Vehicle Project team unveiled its newest solar-hybrid car at a special event for the media, sponsors and supporters on July 18, 2013. This was the first public viewing of the car in preparation for the 2013 World Solar Challenge, a 3,000-kilometer (1,864-mile) race across the Australian Outback starting in Darwin and heading south to Adelaide. The race runs from Oct. 6-13, 2013.
Years of engineering and hundreds of thousands of dollars in technology will be put to the test today, as 40 solar cars hit the highway in a 3,000km race across Australia.
This morning the World Solar Challenge begins in Darwin, where the competing teams from 23 countries around the world gather before sunrise to capture the first rays of precious energy.
Many of the same competitors have returned for the fierce outback trek, but this year, there is a new focus.
While former winning teams Nuon from the Netherlands and Tokai from Japan will race in the "challenger" class - where speed wins - some cars will be judged on their practicality above all else.
This is in the inaugural Cruiser Class, which requires entrants to meet road regulations in their home countries, and to seat at least two people.
It shows a shift towards solar car technology reaching the mainstream, and pushing those developing the technology to search for the sustainable alternative to petrol-powered cars.
Two Australian teams have taken on this challenge, University of NSW and TAFE SA, but the real game changer in the Cruiser Class is Dutch team Eindhoven's car Stella – the world's first four-seat solar car.
While it does not really resemble a normal car, its bus-like facade and tear-drop profile is still much less space-age than the typical solar car.
Also new to the rules this year is a requirement for four wheels on cars in the Challenger Class - again signalling a push towards the mainstream.
The extra wheel brings weight, and the burden of wasted energy, but every effort is made to make up for lost power.
Some cars weigh as little as 150kg without their driver, therefore maximising efficiency but also increasing the dangers that come with a less sturdy vehicle.
One Challenger Class team from the University of Cambridge has already paid the price for having less grip and weight on the road.
They have crashed twice during test drives near Darwin.
Last race interrupted by bushfires
Organisers say the official scrutineering ahead of the race ensures it will be as safe as possible. Still, many unknowns lie ahead.
The last race, in 2011, was interrupted by bushfires in Central Australia.
And while a strong set of sunrays is fairly reliable in the Northern Territory at this time of year, teams will still be negotiating their strict driving times to optimise the energy they harness.
Driving is allowed between 8am and 5pm each day, but if cars wish to extend their drive to 5.17pm, in order to reach a spot by the road with greater exposure, they may do so.
In return, they then have to leave the following morning at 8.17am.
Such is their dedication to the challenge that the cars stop and camp each night on the ride of the Stuart Highway wherever they may be at the end of the day.
The race ends in Adelaide on Thursday, with a well-earned celebration for the teams, but one that probably feels a very long way away.
For now, the World Solar Challenge adventure is set to begin - and the forecast is a sunny 34 degrees in Darwin.
GM’s Chevy Bolt Takes on Tesla With 238-Mile Battery Range
"Elon Musk unveils Hyperloop, a futuristic, solar-powered supersonic pod-train"
David Welch
September 13, 2016 — 2:01 PM AEST
Chevrolet Bolt concept vehicle. Photographer: Andrew Harrer/Bloomberg
General Motors Co. said its Chevrolet Bolt electric car will be able to go 238 miles on a fully-charged battery, which is farther than the least-expensive versions of Tesla Motors Inc.’s Model S sedan and could beat the much-anticipated Model 3 when it comes out.
The Bolt’s range is an estimate from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, GM said in a statement. The car, scheduled to begin sales later this year, is expected to be priced at $37,500 before a federal tax credit of as much as $7,500, the automaker said.
The GM model’s distance on a charge compares with 219 miles for Tesla’s lowest-priced Model S 60, which has a base price of $66,000. Tesla Chief Executive Officer Elon Musk has said .. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-04-01/musk-unveils-tesla-s-35-000-model-3-in-push-for-mass-market .. the Model 3, which is slated to go on sale late next year at a starting price of $35,000, will be able to go at least 215 miles per charge.
The two companies have been been making a case that their new electric cars will be the better option. GM has said the Bolt hatchback will have more cargo room than a Model 3 and can be repaired at any of 3,200 Chevy dealers, compared with Tesla’s 208 stores. Tesla has bragged that its styling and technological prowess have lured more than 300,000 people to put down deposits of $1,000 for the Model 3.
“The Bolt EV is a game changer for the electric-car segment,” GM North America President Alan Batey said in the statement.
Automakers have been extending how far electric vehicles can go on a charge. Tesla recently increased the boosted the range of the most expensive Model S, called the P100D Ludicrous version, to 315 miles. The company also said that version is the world’s fastest-accelerating car sold at retail.
Older electric cars go far less on a charge; Nissan Motor Co.’s Leaf can go 107 miles and Mitsubishi Motors Corp.’s i-MiEV has a range of 62 miles.
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