The hard work paid off: The WARR Hyperloop Team won the award for the fastest pod at the finals of the Hyperloop Pod Competition at SpaceX in Los Angeles. Elon Musk watched the Munich capsule's journey on site.
SpaceX founder Elon Musk launched the Hyperloop Pod Competition in 2015. The Hyperloop is the concept of a high-speed train that would travel at nearly the speed of sound in a partially vacuumed tube. Student teams from around the world presented their concepts for the so-called pod, the cabin capsule that would transport passengers through the tube. Thirty teams were selected to build their prototypes and compete in the finals.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XVjeiLtw1Yo
From January 27 to 29, the time had come: Of the 30 selected teams, 27 traveled to Los Angeles to participate in the finals on the SpaceX site. the WARR Hyperloop Team of the Technical University of Munich (TUM).
The final tests took place in the tube built specifically for the competition. However, only three teams were actually allowed to ride in the evacuated tube: the students from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, TU Delft, and the team from TUM.
“Fastest Pod” comes from Munich
On Sunday, the WARR Hyperloop team witnessed their capsule race through the tube. Elon Musk was the only person to watch the Munich team's test live. The pod shot to first place. The team received the award for "Fastest Pod." The trophy: a miniature titanium pod autographed by Elon Musk. TU Delft also performed well, receiving the award for the technically best prototype.
“To be able to bring the victory home to TUM now makes us incredibly proud,”
says Thomas Ruck from the WARR Hyperloop Team.
“It’s a great feeling to be the winner after a year and a half of hard work and to be able to say that you did everything right.”
“Highest recognition”
TUM President Prof. Wolfgang A. Herrmann to the team's victory:
"I congratulate our WARR Hyperloop team on this impressive success. In just one and a half years, TUM students from various departments developed and built a high-speed passenger capsule for the Hyperloop concept. They led 'German Engineering' to victory in a tough international competition, with the entire TUM community rooting for them. My highest recognition for this ambitious achievement."
