The Technical University of Munich (TUM) has reached a major milestone in its hyperloop research program with the groundbreaking for a 24-meter-long test segment at the Ottobrunn/Taufkirchen site (close to Munich, Germany). The test segment, which is the first of its kind in Europe, represents an important step forward for the TUM Hyperloop team, which has been working intensively on an innovative form of overland travel that can reach unprecedented speeds.
“TUM Hyperloop’s objective is to develop the technology that will make the sustainable high-speed transportation of the future a reality,” says Gabriele Semino, TUM Hyperloop project manager. “The test segment is an important step in that direction, as it will allow us to test and validate various technologies at full scale, including the test pod with magnetic levitation technology and the ultra-high-strength concrete tube.”
The TUM Hyperloop team made significant progress in advancing the technology, setting a new speed record for a hyperloop pod in 2019 with a prototype that reached a top speed of 463 km/h (288 mph).
In addition to developing the technology, the TUM Hyperloop team has also been working on proving the feasibility of hyperloop as a transportation system. In 2019, the team conducted a feasibility study for a hyperloop route between Munich and Berlin, which showed that the technology could be used to connect the two cities in just 90 minutes. The test segment in Ottobrunn/Taufkirchen will allow the team to continue this work, testing and validating various technologies and exploring the viability of using hyperloop for human transportation.
The potential of hyperloop technology is vast. It has the potential to revolutionize transportation by providing a fast, efficient, and sustainable mode of travel that can connect cities and regions in a more efficient and sustainable way. It could also help to reduce our reliance on fossil fuels and lower carbon emissions. The TUM Hyperloop team is just one of many groups around the world working to advance hyperloop technology and bring it to fruition. With its potential to transform the way we travel, hyperloop is an exciting area of research and development that is worth keeping an eye on.
