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This is an assessment of United States High Speed Guided Transit (HSGT) systems policy, vision, goals, and magnetic levitation development and commercialization technology. It includes a historical review of past magnetic levitation vehicle developments, a review of the present status of MagLev trains, and an outline of future conventional (EML) Electro Magnetic Levitation for speeds under 400 km/h; and, (SC) Super Conductive (EDL) Electro Dynamic Levitation for subsonic speeds approaching 900 km/h. Magnetic levitation transit technology has been under development in America since the United States Congress passed the 1965 High Speed Guided Transit Act (HSGT) which authorized the Department of Transportation to fund HSGT projects. Since this initial effort focused attention on the potential of the magnetic levitation concept for very high speed transit applications, this technology has been an ongoing development in Europe and Japan.

This is an assessment of Aerospace Technology in Japan, the national vision which supports it and the strategy which underlies it's ultimate purpose. It includes a comparison of the organizations and missions of the two principle aerospace agencies: One, the Institute of Space and Astronautical Science (ISAS); and, two, the National Space Development Agency (NASDA). Also included are the launch capabilities and deep space facilities of ISAS, at Kagoshima Space Center (KSC) in Uchinoura on Kyushu island; and, the Tanegashima Space Center (TSC) of NASDA located on Tanegashima Island. Also included are the design and development history of domestic Nippon launch and space vehicles, beginning with the licensing of the United States Thor-Delta rocket technology and including the design of the domestic H-I second and third stages and the all domestic H-H vehicles.

This is an assessment of Aerospace Technology in Japan, the national vision supporting it and the strategy underlies it's ultimate purpose. It includes a comparison of the organizations and missions of the two principle aerospace agencies: One, the Institute of Space and Astronautical Science (ISAS); and, two, the National Space Development Agency (NASDA). Included are the launch capabilities and deep space facilities of ISAS, at Kagoshima Space Center (KSC) in Uchinoura on Kyushu island; and the NASDA Tanegashima Space Center (TSC) on Tanegashima Island. Also included are the design and development history of domestic Nippon launch and space vehicles, beginning with the licensing of the United States Thor-Delta rocket technology and including the design of the domestic H-I second and third stages and the all domestic H-II vehicles.

This is an assessment of alternative propulsion technology options presently under investigation for potential application to automobile propulsion in the 1990's. It includes a brief review of key aspects of the new US DOE National Energy Strategy, as recommended to the President in March 1991, and the impact on future automotive propulsion policy choices in the immediate future. Also considered is the impact of the decision by the California Legislature, in the 1990-91 State Budget, which directed the Department of Transportation (Caltrans) to expand the assessment and policy support for improvements in transportation technology. In addition, key technical aspects of the prime mover options currently under development around the World are shown. Among these options are: ceramic piston engine dynamic structural components for conventional four-stroke engines, ceramic gas turbines, new two-stroke engines, and electric propulsion.

During the interval from 1985 to 1993, the major automotive manufacturers of Western Europe, America, and Japan introduced experimental and prototype battery electric vehicles (EV) to the public. These electric vehicle technical developments have demonstrated that the automotive industry is responsive and creative in proposing potential solutions to the key concerns which have constrained the widespread application of the EV in the past. While this technical assessment included: identification of the key concerns and innovative solutions to aerodynamic drag reduction, tire loss reduction, and compared acceleration performance, vehicle range, regenerative braking, batteiy developments, fast recharging, unique passenger compartment heating and cooling solutions, and low mass vehicle structural materials; the scope of this paper is limited to reporting the performance and vehicle range results.

This is an assessment of Japanese High Speed Surface Transit (HSST) policy, vision, goals, and magnetic levitation development and commercialization technology. It includes an illustrated historical review of past HSST magnetic levitation vehicle developments, a review of the present status of HSST trains, and an outline of future HSST conventional magnetic levitation trains with speeds of 300 km/h for interurban and transcontinental service. Also described are: the start of construction of a new test track which includes the track switching mechanism designed for the Las Vegas HSST route in the United States; test operation execution for the practicalization of HSST-100 by the newly formed Chubu (Central Japan) HSST Development Corporation of Nagoya Railroad Company and HSST Corporation. These magnetic levitation electric trains have been under development since 1974 and are now considered ready for introduction into commercial service.

There are two well known basic concepts for achieving magnetic levitation of vehicles: one is based on electromagnetic attraction (EMA); and the second method is based on electrodynamic repulsion (EDR). In turn, each of these concepts has at least two variations (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18 and 19)1 This paper presents a third form of levitation known in the Ukraine as the Magnetic Potential Well (MPW) developed by Kozoriz (20, 21, 22 and 23), and in the West as Laithwaite's Magnetic River (24)(25). The MPW concept, in effect, electrifies the passive sidewall levitation coils of the RTRI EDR (16) system to obtain levitation at zero vehicle velocity and during acceleration to cruising speed. This dc electrification of sidewall levitation coils eliminates the need for wheels during acceleration from standstill and deceleration in the station. Specifically, MPW levitation force exhibits a stable positive slope as the levitation gap increases.

This is a comparative assessment of the three magnetic levitation high speed mass transportation systems currently under extensive development, and in the prototype vehicle demonstration stage, in the Federal Republic of Germany (FRG) and in Japan: One approach, which is promoted by Transrapid International (TRI) in FRG, is based on the electro magnetic levitation (EML) concept; a second approach, which is promoted by the High Speed Surface Transport Corporation (HSST), is based on the EML concept developed and licensed from Japan Air Lines (JAL); a third approach, which is promoted by the Railroad technology Research Institute (RTRI) (Sogo Tetsudo Gijutsu Kenkyusho), the developer of the Shinkansen train, is based on the super conductive electro dynamic levitation (EDL) concept.

This is a descriptive review of the ceramics structural applications developed by Isuzu, Mazda, Nissan, Toyota and General Motors in spark ignition, Diesel and gas turbine automotive engines; new analytical procedures needed for the design of structural ceramics; new silicon nitride ceramics with strength of material properties approaching steel; new ceramics processing techniques which have been reduced to commercial practice in Japan on a mass production scale; and tests of vital structural components fabricated of these ceramics.