At the Joint Institute for Nuclear Research, assembly of the western half-ring of the NICA Collider completed, and its cooling process began. These events are another important step towards conducting physics experiments involving heavy-ion beam collisions at the VBLHEP megascience facility.

Upon completion of the assembly of the magnetic cryostat system of the western half-ring of the collider, JINR employees pumped out the insulation and checked the tightness. Having created the needed vacuum, the specialists started to supply helium to the ring’s magnetic system in order to test the thermometry system, the cryogenic fluid control and regulation system, and the tightness of the helium and nitrogen lines at cryogenic temperatures.

“At the moment, all cooling systems are functioning well,” Chief Engineer of the VBLHEP Injection Complex Artem Galimov said. “In the coming weeks, we will bring the cryostat system of the western half-ring to operating conditions”. The assembly of the eastern half-ring of the collider is being completed.

According to JINR Director, Academician of the Russian Academy of Sciences Grigory Trubnikov, the bulk of the work on the NICA Accelerator Complex is planned to be completed by the end of 2025. “This is a historic moment not only for VBLHEP, but for the entire Institute,” he stressed during the 138th session of the Scientific Council. “The most important events are ahead of us: the collision of beams in the collider and the gradual start of physics experiments”.