Europe's Hyperloop centre has completed its first successful test launch, bringing the possibility of speeding between European cities at more than 700 kilometres per hour one step closer to reality.
European Hyperloop successfully completes first test launch, paving way for full-speed trials
Technicians work in the control room at a testing ground for a high-speed transit system during a press tour of an European test center for hyperloop
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The launch, completed on Monday, put key technologies such as magnetic levitation and propulsion to the test, although the vehicle was limited to a 90-metre stretch at just 30 km/h rather than the top speeds envisaged.
The achievement has allowed Europe to move ever closer to the Hyperloop concept of high-speed, low-energy travel.
Proposed by Elon Musk in 2013, Hyperloop is designed to be a high-speed transportation system for both passengers and freight.
It uses capsules supported by an air-bearing surface within a low-pressure tube and promises to reduce infrastructure costs and energy consumption compared with cars or planes.
Industry and government representatives gathered at the European Hyperloop Center in the Netherlands on Tuesday to celebrate the breakthrough.
It paves the way for 100km/h trials later this year and, in the long term, will enable people to travel from one European city to another at more than 700km/h.
Global interest in Hyperloop technology continues to rise, with various countries launching projects to accommodate the technology and the European Union supporting its research as part of its Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T) policy.