Istobal supported a collaboration between Purdue University and the Polytechnic University of Valencia (UPV) in the construction of a Hyperloop prototype, the so-called fifth means of transport. It is a revolutionary means of transport for passengers and goods powered by 100 percent renewable energy that will allow us to travel at more than 683 mph.
Named Atlantic II for the transatlantic collaboration between universities, the prototype has been selected out of 300 projects by universities from all over the world to participate in Hyperloop Pod Competition II, organised by the American aerospace company SpaceX. The competition will take place in August 25-27 in California.
Istobal is one of the sponsors of the only Spanish team participating in the contest, Hyperloop UPV, who has joined the students of the University of Purdue in this phase. It is the first transatlantic partnership between US and Spanish universities in a project of this nature.
"So far, we have developed the chassis and the fairing, and we have successfully tested the electronic system in tightness conditions at Val Space Consortium, the Valencian Space Consortium that collaborates with the European Space Agency (ESA)," said Juan Vicén, communication spokesman for Hyperloop UPV. He was confident they can be one of the fastest teams in the competition.
The team's efforts are aimed at building a vehicle that can travel as fast as possible on the test track but one that can stop before reaching the end of it under safe conditions. The 2.50 meter wide and 1 meter high prototype has a capacity for one person. The goal is to double the record of phase 1, reaching 124 mph levitating on the track thanks to a magnet system.
UPV students are eager to win the August competition organised under the umbrella of Elon Musk, the creator of the event and the founder of successful companies such as Tesla and Paypal.
