AZLoop, Arizona’s SpaceX Hyperloop Competition Team, has made it to the top eight in the first competition it entered—SpaceX’s second Hyperloop Pod Competition. The team, which is made up of students from Arizona State University (ASU), Northern Arizona University, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, and Thunderbird School of Global Management, has demonstrated an impressive and inspiring performance.

Hyperloop is a revolutionary high-speed form of transportation invented several years ago by SpaceX founder and Tesla CEO Elon Musk. It works similarly to the high-speed railways in place in Japan and Europe, but is able to reach much higher speeds. While traditional high-speed train lines cap out at around 400 mph, the hyperloop could potentially reach speeds up to 760 mph.

A hyperloop system places train cars called “pods” inside a large steel vacuum tube that eliminates nearly all atmospheric drag, which allows the pods to travel at extremely high speeds.

“The idea with this competition is to help push forward the development of this technology, and design some of the first prototypes ever for the hyperloop concept,” AZLoop team co-lead Lynne Nethken said.

As a brand new team, AZLoop made it through several qualifier rounds, in which it competed with teams from around the world. Leading up to the final competition on August 27, the team had to go through a week-long series of functional tests to qualify with a chance to test its pod in the hyperloop tube.

The team finished the qualifying rounds tied with the top eight teams out of 23 teams from around the world that were selected to go to the final competition. Due to time constraints, however, SpaceX could only allow three pods into the tubes, so only the three teams with their names on the top of the list were selected for a trial run in the tube. AZLoop, unfortunately, did not have time for a trial run in the tube.

“We didn’t have time to put our pod in the hyperloop, but we were qualified to do so, which was fantastic,” said Nethken. “All three of the teams that were selected to run in the hyperloop were teams that had already built pods and been in competition one. It was really incredible, and we were extremely proud that as a completely new team, we were able to keep pace with those teams and match them point for point.”

Hyperloop is the transportation mode of the future. In addition to SpaceX, there are many other companies sprouting up and advancing this technology. Hyperloop One, for example, has already built a full-scale tube in Nevada and successfully ran its first full-scale prototype. Other hyperloop companies are Hyperloop Transportation Technologies and Arrivo, said Nethken.

“The technology is feasible,” said Nethken. “What is going to take the longest is the policy, the registration, and the legislation. Having something implemented like this here in the United States is going to take some time. But it is coming. Very much so.”

The members of AZLoop see the potential in this form of transportation, and have made it their long-term goal to bring a full-scale hyperloop to Arizona. The best way to achieve that goal is to win the next competition—SpaceX’s third Hyperloop Pod Competition in summer 2018.

AZLoop’s swift progress was made possible by the unwavering support from ASU, both financially, and through the university’s innovative culture.

“The team’s success in this competition is a direct result of the environment built by the passion and drive towards innovation at ASU,” AZloop team co-lead Josh Kosar said. “It is so steeped into the culture here that it becomes part of your everyday life. Innovation isn’t just something we strive for, it’s what we do every day.”

The university has built AZLoop a test track that replicates the track at SpaceX and purchased a 22-foot long vacuum chamber. It is currently discussing the creation of a replica of the SpaceX hyperloop tube.

Having all of these testing stations at ASU enables AZLoop to practice on campus, a big plus to the program. “By the time we get to SpaceX, we are going to fly through these tests because we are going to be ready,” said Nethken. “We would have already done them.”

The confidence and drive exploding from this team is contagious. AZLoop may be an underdog competing with the rest of the world, but it is not content to stay there. The team has already began preparations for next year, but that is not what sets it apart from the competition.

“What is really going to make AZLoop the top team next year is the passion and experience of its members,” said Kosar.

Brendan Trang, ASU senior in Mechanical Engineering, perfectly portrays that passion, confidence, and love for his team and the competition.

“I love it,” he said in a statement. “I’ve never been more excited about anything in my life. They say your happiest moment is when you get to college. This is it, right here.”

He and his teammates are excited to win the event next year. “We’re going to build a better pod,” Trang added. “We are going to build the one Elon [Musk] picks, and we’re going to win next year.”