Historic Hyperloop Vehicle to be Unveiled to the Public at the Smithsonian FUTURES Exhibition this Fall

Vehicle made history in November 2020 carrying the world’s first hyperloop passengers
Virgin Hyperloop joins the ranks of cutting-edge innovations debuted at Smithsonian

WASHINGTON, March 01, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Just months after the world’s first hyperloop passenger testing, Virgin Hyperloop today announced that the passenger-carrying vehicle, dubbed “Pegasus,” will be making its public debut at the Smithsonian Arts + Industries Building in November 2021. Previously, the Building has showcased world-changing inventions like Edison’s lightbulb, the first telephones, and Apollo rockets.

“Growing up, I spent family vacations at the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum, seeing first-hand how engineers could change the world,” said Josh Giegel, CEO and Co-Founder of Virgin Hyperloop. “Having the vehicle the Virgin Hyperloop team created on display at the Smithsonian, inspiring the next generation of engineers to think big, is truly a dream come true.”

The historic Arts + Industries Building will temporarily reopen this autumn for the first time in nearly two decades with the debut exhibition FUTURES, the Smithsonian’s first major building-wide exploration of the future. As part of the FUTURES exhibit, Virgin Hyperloop invites visitors to imagine an optimistic view of the future in transportation: a greener, smoother, safer, and more pleasant mass transit experience, for all.

“Since opening in 1881, the Arts + Industries Building has been an incubator of ideas that, while at the time may have felt unimaginable, have gone on to profoundly impact the ways in which we experience the world around us,” said Rachel Goslins, director of the Arts + Industries Building. “Hyperloop is one of these leaps that signal a transformative shift in how we could live and travel. We invite visitors to discover the Pegasus pod in the very building where Americans first encountered famous steam engines, the Apollo 11 lunar capsule and the Spirit of St. Louis.”

By combining an ultra-efficient electric motor, magnetic levitation, and a low-drag environment, hyperloop systems can carry more people than a subway, at airline speeds, and with zero direct emissions – completely transforming the way we live, work, and play. The world’s first passenger testing aboard the Pegasus vehicle brought this vision one step closer to reality, ushering in a new era of sustainable mobility.

Visitors will be able to see the Pegasus vehicle in the FUTURES exhibition between November 2021 and July 2022. It is free and open to the public.

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About Virgin Hyperloop
Virgin Hyperloop is the only company in the world that has successfully tested hyperloop technology with passengers, launching the first new mode of mass transportation in over 100 years. The company successfully operated an occupied hyperloop vehicle using electric propulsion and electromagnetic levitation under near-vacuum conditions, realizing a fundamentally new form of transportation that is faster, safer, cheaper, and more sustainable than existing modes. The company is now working with governments, partners, and investors around the world to make hyperloop a reality in years, not decades. Learn more about Virgin Hyperloop's technology, vision, and ongoing projects here.

About the Smithsonian Arts + Industries Building
The Smithsonian is the world’s largest museum, education and research complex, based in the U.S. capitol of Washington, D.C. The Arts + Industries Building (AIB) opened in 1881 as the first United States National Museum and is the Smithsonian’s second oldest building, an architectural icon in the heart of the National Mall. Its soaring halls introduced millions of Americans to wonders about to change the world – Edison’s lightbulb, the first telephone, Apollo rockets. Dubbed the “Palace of Wonders” and “Mother of Museums,” AIB incubated new Smithsonian museums for over 120 years before finally closing to the public in 2004. FUTURES is a milestone first step in the long-term plan to renovate and permanently reopen this landmark space. For more information, the public can visit www.aib.si.edu.

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/62691528-213a-4d63-9c66-37650da97aed