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According to early reports the Hyperloop's initial tests (open air tests) were a success at their test track in North Las Vegas. Image.
It didn't go far but it did work. A metal sled accelerated from zero to 116 mph in 1.1 seconds, or about 2.4 Gs of force. It traveled little more than 100 meters, then stopped, kicking up a cloud of sand in the process.
The Verge has a couple articles Here, before the test and test pictures here.
Pencilled in for Q4 2016, however, is what the company is describing as its "Kitty Hawk" moment - a reference to the Wright Brother's first flight - where it plans to run a full-scale test track. Expected to be more than two miles of low-pressure tube, the pod inside should run at over 700 mph if all goes as planned.
Even if the system scales as Hyperloop One expects it to, human passengers may not be welcome, at least initially. The company is looking to cargo transportation as the most likely use for a commercial Hyperloop system - presumably because boxes and crates are less fragile than families - with interest already from a number of countries in a potential logistics system that would run through tubes and underground tunnels.
(Score: 2) by tibman on Thursday May 12 2016, @02:22PM
Pretty sure hard-drives (spinning kind) can withstand hundreds of G's. Think acceleration to zero as it reaches the floor : )
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(Score: 2) by Scruffy Beard 2 on Thursday May 12 2016, @06:31PM
I recall the old 20MB Seagate drive had a label claiming the warranty was void if exposed to a shock in excess of something like 80Gs.
My immediate question was then: how much of a drop is that? (don't want to do destructive testing to find out :p)