These Are the First Images of What Will Soon Be the World's First Hyperloop Tube

Hyperloop One has unveiled the first images of its test site currently under construction in the Nevada desert, which is set to become the first operational Hyperloop system in the world some time this year.

The LA-based startup is one of a number of companies determined to make Elon Musk's futuristic Hyperloop vision a reality. The concept – billed as the "fifth mode of transport" – is designed to shuttle pods carrying passengers and cargo at speeds of up to 1,220 km/h (760 mph) through sealed, low pressure tubes.

It sounds like science fiction – and sure enough, the idea of superfast tube transport does have roots in classic sci-fi – but the new photos from Nevada show that Hyperloop won't be a fantasy for much longer (we hope).

The test site, called DevLoop, currently runs at 500 metres (1,640 ft) long, and weighs over 1 million kilograms (more than 2.2 million pounds).

The company says that pipeline could be ready by 2020, but before that happens, it first needs to demonstrate that its full-scale DevLoop prototype in Nevada works – and can safely reach the insane speeds its engineers have promised.

Source: ScienceAlert