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Setting a Laser Like Sight on a Path to Practical Fusion

Setting a laser like sight on a path to practical fusionIn the pursuit of a sustainable and efficient energy future, nuclear fusion, particularly the fusion of hydrogen nuclei, has long been regarded as a promising avenue by scientists. However, a significant hurdle has been the formidable requirement of achieving exceedingly high pressures and temperatures to initiate the fusion process.

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Hubble Spots the Spider Galaxy

Hubble Spider Galaxy imageThis image from the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope shows the gauzy-looking celestial body UGC 5829, an irregular galaxy that lies about 30 million light-years away. Despite the lack of observations of this relatively faint galaxy, UGC 5829 has a distinct and descriptive name: the Spider Galaxy. Perhaps its distorted galactic arms with their glowing, star-forming tips hint at the clawed legs of an arachnid.

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China Completes Ovarian Tissue Cryopreservation

China Completes Ovarian Tissue CryopreservationChina has successfully completed ovarian tissue cryopreservation and transplantation to help women who lost ovarian function because of tumor treatments and hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, also known as bone marrow transplant, preserve their fertility.

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GKN Aerospace Joins HyFIVE Consortium Development of Hydrogen Fuel

Liquid hydrogenHyFIVE represents a significant leap forward in advancing a world-leading liquid hydrogen fuel system and future supply chain within the aviation sector. This collaborative effort underscores GKN Aerospace’s unwavering commitment to fostering innovation and sustainability. Led by Marshall, the HyFIVE consortium is on the cusp of achieving major milestones, including the development and rigorous testing of scalable liquid hydrogen fuel system technologies. These efforts will culminate in a fully integrated ground demonstration showcasing the hydrogen fuel system's capabilities.

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Review of John Weisend II’s Superfluid – How a Quantum Fluid Revolutionized Modern Science

Super Fluid book by John WeisendOver the recent holidays, we hosted some new friends in our home. The young couple are both technically savvy but have never previously encountered the world of cryogenics, low temperatures, or superfluid helium. I had a copy of John Weisend II’s new book Superfluid – How a Quantum Fluid Revolutionized Modern Science sitting around, and one of the two picked it up out of curiosity. The cover design is cool, and it grabs your attention. Our young friend was captivated by the contents and commented on how great it was that he could understand it all. I will now be ordering a copy for him. (I had yet to read my own copy and would not let him take it with him when he left.) This is a great book. It relates a technically fascinating story in a manner accessible to the general public. You should order a copy for yourself! 

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Scientists Uncover a Hidden Electronic State

Evolution with temperature of polarons in tantalum layers of 1T-TaS2 through different CDW phases: commensurate (C), nearly commensurate (NC), and incommensurate (IC). When CDW is removed at high temperature, polarons are in a gas-like state. Credit: Nature Communications (2023). DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-42631-6Research often unfolds as a multistage process. The solution to one question can spark several more, inspiring scientists to reach further and look at the larger problem from several different perspectives. Such projects can often be the catalyst for collaborations that leverage the expertise and capabilities of different teams and institutions as they grow.

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CSA Celebrates the 2024 Women in Cryogenics and Superconductivity

CSA Celebrates Women in Cryogenics and Superconductivity

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How Lake Shore Cryotronics is Helping Reduce Helium Costs in The Lab

How Lake Shore Cryotronics is Helping Reduce Helium Costs in The LabLake Shore Cryotronics' Director of Product Management for Cryogenic Systems Rachael Floyd shares how Lake Shore Cryotronics is helping reduce helium costs in the lab.

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RIX Liquid Oxygen Generation Plant Supports US Navy’s Newest Aircraft Carriers

Rix PWG TstingAircraft carriers use highly concentrated gaseous and liquid oxygen for aviation and medical applications. These legacy systems consume large amounts of valuable ship space and require constant attention and adjustment to meet purity and production rates. With the development of USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN-78) – the “first-in-class” nuclear-powered aircraft carrier designed to replace the aging Nimitz-class carriers in service for over 50 years – the Navy and its contracted partners determined an opportunity for improvement. By implementing a modern liquid oxygen plant in the new Ford-class fleet design, the Navy could achieve its key goals of reducing cost of ownership, decreasing operational manpower, and significantly reducing overall maintenance demands. 

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Oxford Cryosystems’ Evolution From Lab to Global Innovation Hub

AC3 Helium CompressorIn the 1980s, John Cosier and Professor Mike Glazier from Oxford University pioneered the creation of an open-flow cooler, initially designed for exclusive use in Oxford University’s Clarendon Laboratory. Its remarkable efficiency quickly gained recognition within the crystallographic community, leading researchers worldwide to seek similar systems. Responding to this demand, Oxford Cryosystems was founded in 1985 to provide cryogenic solutions globally. Over the years, their cryogenic devices have become integral components in laboratories, beamlines, radio telescopes, and various other applications. 

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ITER’s Magnets Conquer the 4 K Cryostat Challenge

ITER cold test facilityEmbarking on the frontiers of innovation, ITER, the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor, heralds a new era with its superconducting magnets—a groundbreaking technological marvel designed to operate at an astonishingly low temperature of 4 K (-269 °C), just above absolute zero. ITER’s primary purpose is to explore and demonstrate the potential of nuclear fusion as a clean and sustainable energy source for the future. With the capacity to carry an immensely powerful electrical current, reaching up to 68 kA, these magnets are poised for rigorous testing within a specialized cryostat infrastructure. The question of how these first-of-a-kind components navigate such extreme conditions becomes a pivotal inquiry at the forefront of scientific exploration. 

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Danaher Delivers Sub-Kelvin Pony Cryostat to Argonne

Danaher Cryo Pony Crysostat-17Scientists should spend their efforts on research, not on infrastructure! Scientists often need a reliable source of sub-kelvin cooling. Historically, because no reliable provider of such systems existed, many scientists were resigned to build their own. No longer. Identifying this unmet need in the science community, Danaher Cryo stepped up to offer several elegant solutions. Teaming with Chase Research Cryogenics (CSA CSM), Danaher has established a line of sub-kelvin cryostats that provide long-awaited, convenient solutions. One such system is the Model DC2 Pony cryostat that Danaher recently delivered to Argonne National Laboratory (ANL) (CSA CSM). The Pony incorporates Chase’s CC4 cooler, which provides continuous sub-kelvin temperatures. 

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Cryo Legacy: Angela Krenn’s Reflections on Cryogenics and Space, a Trailblazer Revisited

Angela Krenn,, NASAIn our annual “Women in Cryogenics and Superconductivity” feature, Cold Facts explores the profound contributions of outstanding women in the field. Drawing on its popularity, we wanted to have a candid conversation, reconnecting with a trailblazing woman in cryogenics, previously spotlighted as one of our “Women in Cryogenics.” In this interview, Angela Krenn, with over 21 years of experience at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center, offers an insightful glimpse into the industry's evolution over two decades and her impact on space exploration. Currently serving as the principal technologist for Thermal Management Systems and Surface Systems in the Space Technology Mission Directorate, Angela is at the forefront of developing investment strategies and coordinating technology advancements across NASA. In her role, she seamlessly transitioned from a focus on cryogenics to overseeing all thermal-related technology developments for the agency. Angela's expertise extends from extreme cooling for rocket fuel efficiency to ensuring instruments’ function in lunar exploration conditions. A Florida native, Angela's childhood dream of working for NASA became a reality and her commitment to identifying gaps in thermal technologies reflects her dedication. With a remarkable career that started with a dream job working with liquid hydrogen, Angela continues to inspire as a leader in advancing NASA’s capabilities for future space exploration and as a powerful role model to industry women. 

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New Glenn Completes Initial Cryogenic Testing at Launch Complex 36

The New Glenn pathfinder at LC-36 following its first cryo test. Credit: Julia Bergeron for NSFBlue Origin continues to take big steps forward with its New Glenn orbital rocket as hardware rolls out to the launch pad, cryogenic testing begins, and the BE-4 engine gains a new test stand. The company still aims to launch New Glenn at least once in 2024.  Over the past month, Launch Complex 36 (LC-36) has seen a large increase in New Glenn-related activity, including two vehicles being rolled out of the integration facility and raised vertically on the launch mount, the first-ever publicly visible cryogenic tanking tests of New Glenn hardware, and pad upgrades to support future hardware testing.

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Maybell Quantum Announces $25 Million Series A Funding Led By Cerberus

Maybell Quantum Announces $25 Million Series A Funding Led By CerberusMaybell Quantum (“Maybell”), the quantum infrastructure company, has closed a $25 million funding round led by an affiliate of Cerberus Capital Management, L.P. (“Cerberus”), a global leader in alternative investing. This investment marks the start of a pivotal chapter in Maybell’s development.

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ISRO Achieves Big Milestone For Human Mission Gaganyaan's Cryogenic Engine

Image: ISRO has accomplished a major milestone in the human rating of its CE20 cryogenic engine. Credit: ISROThe Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), the space agency of the government of India responsible for the country's space research and exploration programs, has achieved a major milestone in the human rating of its CE20 cryogenic engine, which powers the cryogenic stage of the human-rated LVM3 launch vehicle for Gaganyaan human spaceflight missions, with the completion of the final round of ground qualification tests. "ISRO's CE20 cryogenic engine is now human-rated for Gaganyaan missions," the space agency announced on 'X' on Wednesday.

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Surface Superconductivity Appears in Topological Materials

Image: A schematic/artistic representation of the superconducting arcs on the surface of the Weyl semimetal. Credit: S Borisenko, A Kuibarov and O SuvorovResearchers at the Leibniz Institute for Solid State and Materials Research at IFW Dresden, Germany, have found proof for surface superconductivity in a class of topological materials known as Weyl semimetals. Interestingly, the superconductivity, which comes from electrons confined in so-called Fermi arcs, is slightly different on the top and bottom surfaces of the sample studied. The phenomenon could be used to create Majorana states – long-sought after quasiparticles that could make extremely stable, fault-tolerant quantum bits for next-generation quantum computers. Meanwhile, another group at Penn State University in the US has fabricated a chiral topological superconductor by combining two magnetic materials. Majorana states might also be found in this new material.

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BV Approves Concept for a Full-Size Liquid Hydrogen Carrier

Image: An LNG-type membrane containment system. GTT has developed a similar concept for liquid hydrogen. Credit: GTTA consortium of French shipping, vessel design and energy companies have achieved approval in principle for a new membrane tank-based transport system for liquid hydrogen, including both the underlying containment technology and an initial vessel design. GTT, the longtime leader in membrane containment systems for LNG carriers, has designed a new system for containing and transporting liquid hydrogen. This new membrane system has now achieved an approval in principle from BV. (GTT also holds approval from DNV for a system developed in concert with Shell.)

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Machine Learning Takes Hassle Out of Cold-Atom Experiments

Image: Automatic adjustments: A view into the vacuum chamber containing the Tübingen group's rubidium magneto-optical trap (MOT). The frequency of the MOT lasers is controlled by a reinforcement learning agent. Credit: Malte ReinschmidtCold atoms solve many problems in quantum technology. Want a quantum computer? You can make one from an array of ultracold atoms. Need a quantum repeater for a secure communications network? Cold atoms have you covered. How about a quantum simulator for complicated condensed-matter problems? Yep, cold atoms can do that, too.

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Lockheed Martin Looks to Space with Australian-Developed Composite Tanks

Image: A large carbon fiber composite pressure vessel constructed using Omni Tanker’s OmniBIND-TM technology. Credit: Lockheed MartinIn a groundbreaking collaboration, Lockheed Martin, Omni Tanker and UNSW Sydney have joined forces to pioneer and commercialize world-first composite tank technologies. This ambitious project, supported by a grant from the Federal Government’s Advanced Manufacturing Growth Centre (AMGC), aims to tackle the challenges associated with using composites for the transportation and storage of liquid hydrogen across various applications – from ground and air to underwater and space.

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