SpaceX, Hyperloop winners set up test center in Netherlands

The Dutch team that won this year’s edition of the competition held by entrepreneur Elon Musk’s SpaceX to develop superfast hyperloop transport technology is setting up a full-scale testing centre for the technology. “People were dreaming already of transporting humans and cargo from the 1860s, so the concept is not that new,” said Tim Houter, co-founder of Hardt Global Mobility, the company set up to commercialize the Dutch team’s technology. “In this facility we will test all systems that don’t require high speeds,” said Houter ahead of the public opening of the test centre. “So think about the levitation system, but also the propulsion system, but really important, all the safety systems will be tested in this low-speed but full-scale testing facility.” Hardt has 600,000 euros in funding for the initial rounds of testing, with plans to raise more to build a high-speed test line by 2019.