Every Prufrock that leaves the factory has over 1,000 changes from the one before it. Before it ships, we put it through a full Porpoise Test (PT) in Bastrop — a short test tunnel (typically under 200 rings) that lets both the design team and the test team gather... real data on the new designs and on the specific Prufrock serial number. To date, we’ve completed six of these tests and Prufrock 5 is currently 200 rings into PT7. Once complete, the tunnels are put to use: • PT4 is now a vacuum tunnel for Hyperloop testing • PT5 is a live test bench for liner trucks and new belt systems • PT6 is a pedestrian tunnel connecting SpaceX to Hyperloop Plaza With porpoise testing, our engineers get to get hands on and stress-test every one of their designs in real world environments without ever leaving Bastrop. We are currently hiring Electrical, Mechanical, Test, and Software engineers. Link to apply in the comments below 👇show more

Join us!

PT4 is now a vacuum tunnel for Hyperloop testing 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥

@Optyu974254 We had the option to do a bunch of calcs that would ultimately be wrong to figure out how well our tunnels hold vacuum, or just test it. So we decided to test it.

Your account is going to explode. Thanks for sharing so much detail and so often. Big Brother spaceX gonna be jelly (they peaked with RUD content)/, shifting to boring repeatable launches). Love it, thanks for boring

I hope so, I’m currently not getting enough candidates through x to justify continuing to put this time in. Going to keep at it for a bit longer to see if I can get more traction.

You know exponentials, slow then all at once. Oddly I followed lex on YouTube doing lectures before he blew up, roaring kitty (GameStop guy) one of 3 viewers when he was a "loser", garyvee years ago. I don't have anything more than a feeling but I'm confident you can blow up boring co. Reach decision makers for projects and also attract talent. You know the value of attracting even 1 or 2 people is invaluable. Lots of great companies you compete with, but also bet one day Elon reposts. Grind til it blows up. Keep posting the amazing stuff you do. You're doing awesome.

@Mike__Baier I agree with nachos. Keep at it, it will definitely pay off.

@Mike__Baier Get so popular that the haters come out,,,,boring co distrupting natural lava flows or Musk company digs secret tunnels to China 😂

This is so effing cool. So glad to hear that the design changes and improvements are being implemented at such a scale! For the longest time I had no idea how much was changing between the machines.

Our engineering teams are awesome

Stupid question. Can Prufrock built its own above ground porpoise rings?

It’s a great question. Yes, they are called half sets and they are used to react prufrocks thrust while we inch our way forward during retrieval.

Man that’s cool. You could essentially just pop out of the ground touch up the asphalt and be done with it. Incredible. But my next question makes me think of that’s a lot of water that could be pouring down that opening, guessing you have water pumps at the trough of the tunnel?

Yep. There is a dewatering system under the roads of every tunnel. We also have ways to minimize the water ingress at the portals (ends) as well

Wow, didn't know you had a vacuum tube already! 👏

Here is a picture of the entrance, including the doors that automatically close when we start to pull the vacuum

@hgwellszib Lowering total drag force which enables higher max speeds and lower energy consumption per mile. Think door to door, LA to DC in under an hour in the systems end state

“• PT4 is now a vacuum tunnel for Hyperloop testing” @cybrgalaxy @Smokehbear

How close to beating the snail?

Hyper loop let's go! Casual vacuum mention

Would this be considered tunneling with a porpoise?

Porpoise testing? Hell yes. Sign me up. 🤝 just dropped a follow

I figured we are creating an autonomous mining machine that can land and begin creating tunnels suitable for habitats in hostile environments... you know, Moon, Mars, and Such. If so I can dig it!

@JoeTegtmeyer @Pura_Vida310 Maybe some boring job would be interesting?

@JoeTegtmeyer Beat the snail!

Neat, so your tunnel is a Porpoise with a Purpose.

@JoeTegtmeyer Bastrop in 10 years from now 👇

Dulles really needs a pedestrian tunnel to replace those raised shuttle buses.

So what ? Are we supposed to be impressed by a FRIGGIN HOLE IN THE GROUND ? Fine, you MIGHT have automated some stages. How is any of this supposed to to change any game ?

I love these updates!

How tight a curve can this do?

I don’t think we’ve made that info public yet

I understand. 😎👍. Will be in touch shortly.

The moon needs this.

@JoeTegtmeyer and then there will be a tunnel gridlock same as what happens on the surface streets

Great way of testing a system that can be used on the Moon or Mars. Of course in those systems the vacuum will be outside. 😮

When are you drilling on mars?

That's impressive! It's great to see such attention to detail in the manufacturing process. How do you ensure consistency among those changes?

Why are there stairs for cars?

Have them build parts of the "Hive" as their test tunnels, Elon's always wanted a lair

You guys are doing awesome things

thats goods

Oh yikes. So you're actively testing Hyperloop designs? Care to share any early results?

CG 가 아니예요??

Is the plan to double the size after you reach full maturity on the tech with this sized system to allow for a 2 lane etc?

@JoeTegtmeyer There is a huge need for pedestrian/bicycle tunnels that go under freeways and busy boulevards for schoolchildren.

These tunnels seem like they would make great bomb shelters under cities like Kyiv. Have you ever tested them for that purpose?

@JoeTegtmeyer Hyperloop testing is insanely awesome