Start of cryogenic cooldown of the IT String | home.cern

26 February, 2026

View of the IT String. The magnet line can be seen on the lower ground, and the Superconducting Link on the upper platform on the left. CERN

CERN has reached a crucial milestone in the advancement of the High-Luminosity LHC project with the start of the cryogenic cooldown to 1.9 K (‑271.3 °C) of the IT String, a full-scale replica of the innovative equipment that will transform the LHC in the coming years.