Almost ready: the LHC and its injectors are starting up one after the other

At the end of March, the first sectors of the LHC became available, allowing the restart of the power converters and the performance of electrical quality assurance tests (ELQA), which are now in full swing. In the coming days, the “patrols” will be completed, ensuring that no persons remain in the tunnel before it is closed and the access control and safety system is activated. This will be followed by the Departmental Safety Officer (DSO) tests on 7 April, after which the hardware permit and later the beam permit can be signed.

On the injectors side, LINAC2 is operating and has accelerated the beam up to 50 MeV, nearly ready for the PS Booster to take beam in the week of 10 April. The PS Booster’s heart is beating again following recommissioning of the main power supply. The SPS was closed on Friday, 24 March and tests and adjustments on the renovated power converters are ongoing. The PS was one of the last machines to be closed, on Friday, 31 March, and many tests are in progress on various equipment to ensure that everything will be ready in time for injection of beam into this machine, planned for Easter Monday.