Virgin Hyperloop announces launch of superfast transport by 2027
Virgin Hyperloop has built the first tunnel for high-speed travel in the desert near Las Vegas. It is planned that the "capsular" transport will reach speeds of up to 1200 km / h through vacuum tunnels using magnetic levitation. It will feel like a plane taking off as it picks up speed.
The capacity of one capsule is designed for 28 passengers. Transport will be able to travel both short and long distances, and it can also be used for cargo transportation.
Although the project is still at the development stage, the head of the company optimistically predicts the start of commercial operations as early as 2027. As the company itself points out, the idea of creating pipeline passenger transport is not new and is not its know-how. Even at the beginning of the last century, scientists puzzled over the possibility of high-speed passenger and cargo transportation.
In the early 20th century, the idea of capsule rapid transit was put forward by rocket scientist Robert Goddard. In the 1960s and 1970s, attempts were already made in France to create an air train – Aerotrain. But alas, due to lack of funding, the project was curtailed.
In 2013, Elon Musk showed interest in this type of transport and even described how the system would function. At that time, the idea was not ready for its implementation. But a lot has changed since then.
Now Virgin Hyperloop is betting on the development of passenger routes using new transport in India, whose transport system is overloaded, and in Saudi Arabia, where it does not exist at all.