On May 12th, Hyperloop One conducted the first test of its propulsion system in the Nevada desert, and it was a major success. A test sled accelerated to 187 km/h in just 1.1 seconds while traveling for about 305m along a track and glided smoothly. This first phase result marks a breakthrough for high-speed transportation. Originating from billionaire investor Elon Musk’s 58-page white paper dream to travel from San Francisco to Los Angeles in 35 minutes, the Hyperloop One system will attempt to transport passengers at 1,223 km/h, which is nearly the speed of sound, in low–pressure tubes.
Two major companies are working to bring Musk’s idea to reality; Hyperloop One (formerly Hyperloop Technologies) and Hyperloop Transportation Technologies Inc. which recently signed an agreement with the Slovak Government to explore the possibilities of building a Hyperloop in Slovakia. Hyperloop One CEO Rob Lloyd has also set the timetable for his masterplan. By the end of 2016, Hyperloop One plans to have built and tested the complete Hyperloop system including the tube pod and computer guidance system. Further down the pipeline, Lloyd expects to have the system carrying cargo by 2019 and passengers by 2021.
