Physicists from JILA (formerly known as the Joint Institute for Laboratory Astrophysics, a physical science research institute at the University of Colorado Boulder campus and jointly operated by the National Institute of Standards and Technology [NIST] and the University of Colorado Boulder) have measured Albert Einstein’s theory of general relativity (or more specifically, the effect called time dilation) at the smallest scale ever, showing that two tiny atomic clocks separated by just a millimeter, or the width of a sharp pencil tip, tick at different rates.

Nikkiso Clean Energy & Industrial Gases Group (Group), a part of the Nikkiso Co., Ltd (Japan) group of companies, is proud to announce yet another expansion of their manufacturing capabilities for the growing marine market. With this expansion, they have become one of the largest manufacturers providing localized assembly in both Busan, Korea and Hangzhou, China. This expansion represents their commitment to and support of the growth of the Asian shipbuilding industry.

Amphenol Ardent Concepts, a leading supplier of ganged coaxial connectors for use in cryogenic environments, has released high-density ganged coaxial attenuators for in-line use with the TR Multicoax™ series to support the many unique challenges of scaling up quantum computing applications for practical use. Density, substantial environmental changes, and an increasing need for more high-speed lanes are causing quantum computer designers to rethink traditional routing methods. By utilizing industry-leading materials like oxygen-free high thermal conductivity, copper and NiCr on thermally conductive crystalline quartz dielectric, engineers will be able to drastically decrease real estate required by individual attenuators with minimal change in attenuation to temperature delta down to 3 milliKelvin.

California-based Cryogenic Machinery Corp. (CRYO-MACH) is one of the nation’s leading producers of cryogenic pumps. Founded in 1969, the company manufactures single-stage horizontal centrifugal pumps for many of the world’s largest industrial gas suppliers as well as the leading space exploration companies.

The Next Generation in Cryogenics and Superconductivity. This feature introduces outstanding young professionals (under 40 years of age) who are doing interesting things in cryogenics and superconductivity and who show promise of making a difference in their fields. Debuted in the Summer 2006 issue, the feature has presented many young persons whom we are proud to see have indeed lived up to that promise.

Misconceptions abound in the world, and some are more important to address than others. In the area of cryogenic heat management there are misconceptions that usually have no ill effect but sometimes can become big stumbling blocks. These center around the confusion of temperature and heat (with the word “thermal” thrown in here and there). Temperature is an indicator of what the heat is doing, but it is not heat.

The Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument (DESI) has capped off the first seven months of its survey run by smashing through all previous records for three-dimensional galaxy surveys, creating the largest and most detailed map of the universe ever. Yet it’s only about 10% of the way through its five-year mission. Once completed, that phenomenally detailed 3D map will yield a better understanding of dark energy, and thereby give physicists and astronomers a better understanding of the past – and future – of the universe. Meanwhile, the impressive technical performance and literally cosmic achievements of the survey thus far are helping scientists reveal the secrets of the most powerful sources of light in the universe. DESI is an international science collaboration managed by the Department of Energy’s (DOE) Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) with primary funding for construction and operations from DOE’s Office of Science.

Cooling things down in space is trickier than it might sound, but that is exactly the process the James Webb telescope is going through right now. Getting down to cryogenic temperature is imperative for its infrared imaging systems to work correctly. While the telescope has already started, it will be another few weeks before the process is complete and it's ready to capture its first groundbreaking infrared images of the universe. That might seem like an exceptionally long time to cool something down; however, it's par for the course in space.

Multilayer insulation (MLI) blankets must conform to exacting specifications to insulate high value products, from MRI machine components in the medical sector to satellites and other spacecraft.  Partnering with an MLI blanket contract manufacturer relieves the OEM of many processing steps and can expedite production cycle time for these highly customized products. In this article, we will discuss three of the most important considerations to keep in mind when deciding whether to outsource custom MLI blanket manufacturing and what capabilities to seek in a contract manufacturing organization (CMO). 

On December 21, the US Department of Energy (DOE) announced the establishment of the Office of Clean Energy Demonstrations, a new DOE office that will help deliver new, good-paying jobs for American families and workers, and reduce pollution while benefitting disadvantaged communities. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law provides more than $20 billion to establish the Office of Clean Energy Demonstrations and support clean energy technology demonstration projects in areas including clean hydrogen, carbon capture, grid-scale energy storage, small modular reactors and more.

A team of scientists have succeeded in producing the very first African lion in-vitro embryos after the vitrification of immature oocytes. For this specific method of cryopreservation, the scientists, who hail from the Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research (Leibniz-IZW) in Germany, Givskud Zoo–Zootopia in Denmark, and the University of Milan, collected oocytes directly after an animal was castrated or deceased and immediately froze them at -196°C in liquid nitrogen. This technique allows the storage of oocytes of valuable animals for an unlimited time so they can be used to produce offspring with the help of assisted reproduction techniques. The aim is to further improve and apply these methods to save highly endangered species, such as the Asiatic lion, from extinction. The current research on African lions as a model species is an important step in this direction. The results are reported in the scientific journal, Cryobiology.

Recently, the Kagome superconductors AV3Sb5 (A = K, Rb and Cs) have attracted enormous attention due to their novel phenomena and rich physics. They exhibit unconventional charge density wave (CDW), giant anomalous Hall effect, and superconductivity. The CDW state is intimately related to the anomalous Hall effect and competes with superconductivity under pressure. Investigating the electronic structure of the CDW state is essential to understand its nature and the related physical properties.

Cryoport, Inc., a temperature-controlled supply chain solutions provider for the life sciences industry, announces that it has entered into a strategic partnership with Cell Matters, S.A. to deliver to the life sciences industry end-to-end cryopreservation services for leukapheresis derived therapies supporting both autologous and allogeneic cell therapies. The companies will jointly develop the commercial approach for marketing these services.

Boeing has announced a technology breakthrough for cryogenic fuel tanks. These tanks are essential components of liquid-fueled rockets because they hold the liquid hydrogen and the liquid oxygen that act as the fuel. They could also play a very important role in the development of long-haul, zero-emission flight, carrying liquid hydrogen as jet engine fuel.

The Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument (DESI) has capped off the first seven months of its survey run by smashing through all previous records for three-dimensional galaxy surveys, creating the largest and most detailed map of the universe ever. Yet it’s only about 10% of the way through its five-year mission. Once completed, that phenomenally detailed 3D map will yield a better understanding of dark energy, and thereby give physicists and astronomers a better understanding of the past – and future – of the universe. Meanwhile, the impressive technical performance and literally cosmic achievements of the survey thus far are helping scientists reveal the secrets of the most powerful sources of light in the universe. DESI is an international science collaboration managed by the Department of Energy’s (DOE) Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) with primary funding for construction and operations from DOE’s Office of Science.

Launch vehicles, particularly the upper stages, often use cryogenic rocket propellants such as liquid oxygen, liquid hydrogen and liquid methane because of their high specific impulse and high storage density. The pressurization, control and distribution of these propellants requires sophisticated valving that can operate and seal at these extreme temperatures.

On December 15, GenH2, a leading developer of liquid hydrogen infrastructure solutions, formally announced the appointment of renowned NASA veteran and company co-founder James E. Fesmire as Chief Architect and Chief Technology Officer. In his role, Fesmire will shape GenH2’s technology vision and drive product evolution and expansion. Known for his world-class expertise and trailblazing contributions to developing cryogenics, materials, and energy technologies, Fesmire specializes in all aspects of liquid hydrogen storage and transfer.

Cost- and energy-efficient rapid cycling magnets for particle accelerators are critical for particle physics research. Their performance determines how frequently a circular particle accelerator can receive a bunch of particles, propel them to higher energy, send them to an experiment or target station, and then repeat all over again. A small team of physicists, engineers and technicians at the US Department of Energy’s Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory (Fermilab, CSA CSM), led by Henryk Piekarz, demonstrated the world’s fastest magnetic ramping rates for particle accelerator magnets. Noteworthy, they achieved this record by using magnets made with energy-efficient, high temperature superconducting material.