We’ve been keeping an eye on the world of the Hyperloop. First envisioned by Elon Musk back in 2013, we’ve come a long way from that first idea. Hyperloop One is one of only a few companies working to bring this pod-based transportation system to life. Today, Hyperloop One has released some footage from their first full-scale test of their sled system. The test run peaked at around 70 MPH, but it was an important first step in showing the feasibility of the new transportation method.
This test run actually happened back in May, but the footage was just released today. In the video below, we get to see the sled in the full-scale pressurized tube that Hyperloop One built in the Nevada desert. After all of the pre-test safety and preparedness checks are completed, the sled shoots down the tube. Various camera angles show us the lift achieved by the sled as it is propelled down the track. Fair warning, there is a bit of salty language towards the end of the video below (they’re excited and celebrating, I don’t blame them for letting a few dirty words slip).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=woaQdXLb1z0
The team was obviously very excited, but there is, of course, more work to come. The first test got up to 70 MPH, and they’d like their next test to hit 250 MPH. That’s still well below the theoretical speeds of up to 750 MPH that they’re ultimately hoping to hit, but it’s an important first step in the overall process.
Hyperloop One already has interest from several countries, with feasibility studies underway in The United Arab Emirates, Finland and Sweden, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Moscow, and the UK. The company has a few locations in mind here in the U.S. but finding available land in desirable locations here is quite a bit more difficult. That’s before you get into the necessary regulatory and other bureaucratic approvals that would be necessary to get the project off the ground.
What do you think about Hyperloop One’s test run? Let us know in the comments below or on Google+, Twitter, or Facebook.
[button link=”https://www.theverge.com/2017/7/12/15958224/hyperloop-one-first-full-system-test-devloop” icon=”fa-external-link” side=”left” target=”blank” color=”285b5e” textcolor=”ffffff”]Source: The Verge[/button]
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