Hyperloop One: the first test of the "complete system" is conclusive

Hyperloop One goes ahead, and well. The company passed its first "complete" test on a 500 meter long track. A first milestone for the project.

Hyperloop One began building its first tube last October in the Nevada Desert, the work went well, and in May the firm completed its first test of the complete system used for the means of transport. She only communicated recently on the subject, through a video - which is a bit in the pathos - published yesterday on her YouTube channel.

We are talking here only of the system, that is to say that the train used is not definitive, it was in fact to turn all the technologies together: start, braking, magnetic levitation, but also And especially the evacuation of the tube. This is the sine qua non condition for the proper functioning of Hyperloop since the vacuum makes it possible to limit the frictions in order ultimately to reach about 1000 km / h.

The teams made a no-fault by creating their own "sky in a tube" in the words of the team. They simulate in the tube an atmosphere similar to that found at more than 60 km of altitude (by convention, it is considered that the space is 100 km). In other words, there is not much air left. Everything went well, but we are still far from the expected performances.

People, especially merchandise

The train, which is in fact only a kind of sled levitating above the rails, has traveled 500 meters at a speed of about 110 km / h, for a journey of a little less than 5 seconds. Congratulations to the mathematicians who deducted the duration of the journey. The next step is to gain speed, the firm will try to propel the machine at about 400 km / h, which would make it go faster than a TGV in normal operation. The French train was able to reach 574.8 km / h, it is the world record on rail.


At the same time, the company presented a first concept of the Hyperloop One train (image of "one"). The latter could be suitable for both passengers and freight, an aspect that is so important to society. It is this last activity that should be launched by the company before opening the trains for the transport of persons. If people can communicate via the Internet, goods can not yet teleport and bear much better accelerations than human beings.