(Image source from: Twitter.com/XH_Lee23)
China has established a new global record with its fastest magnetic levitation train, hitting a speed of 700 kilometers per hour in only two seconds—so rapid that it vanishes before you even notice. Scientists at China's National University of Defence Technology performed an experiment on a maglev train, successfully speeding up a vehicle that weighs around a ton (approximately 1,000 kilograms) to this astonishing velocity. The experiment took place on a 400-meter (1,310-foot) maglev track, and after reaching that speed, the train was brought to a safe stop, making it the quickest superconducting electric maglev train ever. The footage of the experiment captures the train zooming by like a silver flash of lightning, almost too fast to see with the eye, leaving a thin misty trace behind. It resembles a moment from a science fiction film.
The train hovers over the track utilizing superconducting magnets that lift and propel it without making contact with the tracks. The acceleration is so intense that it could even launch a rocket. At this pace, the maglev could link cities over vast distances in mere minutes. This maglev technology also hints at future travel possibilities like the hyperloop, where trains travel through vacuum-sealed tubes at extremely high speeds. "It addresses key technical issues such as ultra-high-speed electromagnetic propulsion, electric suspension guidance, transient high-power energy storage inversion, and high-field superconducting magnets," according to the South China Morning Post (SCMP).
The technology for speeding up the maglev train, known as electromagnetic acceleration, might also be used in space and aviation. Rockets and airplanes could utilize electromagnetic systems for faster, smoother take-offs while minimizing fuel use and cutting costs.
Li Jie, a professor at the National University of Defence Technology, stated, "The successful creation of this ultra-high-speed superconducting electric maglev system will speed up the research and development of China's ultra-high-speed maglev transport." The group behind this significant advancement has been focused on this project for ten years. Earlier this year, in January, they tested the train on the same track, achieving a maximum speed of 648 kilometers per hour. Almost thirty years ago, the same university produced the first manned single-bogie maglev train in the country, making China the third nation worldwide to master this technology.
