Hyperloop Pod Hovers for the First Time
One small hover for man, one giant levitation for mankind. It was only a quarter of an inch, but a team from the University of Cincinnati got their sizable Hyperloop pod prototype to hover above the tracks in front of a cheering crowd.
The interdisciplinary UC Hyperloop team, led by aerospace engineering graduate student Dhaval Shiyani, wants their pod to one day carry passengers from Cincinnati to Chicago in a mere 30 minutes. Their modular prototype calls for separate passenger and engine areas. According to their description, the pod is outfitted with Arx Pax hover engines. This pod is one of several participating in a student competition organized by SpaceX CEO and Hyperloop idea originator Elon Musk. His vision: Create futuristic high-speed transportation pods that travel through low-pressure vacuum tubes. Musk and SpaceX have no affiliation with the commercial companies that have sprung up to develop the tech, but they are encouraging students from around the world to go all out.