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Vacuum Leaks Lead To Another LHC Delay

Posted by Soulskill on from the doomsday-averted-once-more dept.

suraj.sun tips this story at ZDNet about a new problem with the LHC. Quoting: "The restart of the Large Hadron Collider has been pushed back further, following the discovery of vacuum leaks in two sectors of the experiment. The world's largest particle collider is now unlikely to restart before mid-November, according to a CERN press statement. The project had been expected to start again in October. To repair the leaks, which are from the helium circuit into the insulating vacuum, sectors 8-1 and 2-3 will have to be warmed from 80K to room temperature. Adjacent sub-sectors will act as 'floats,' while the remainder of the surrounding sectors will be kept at 80K, CERN said in the statement. The repair work will not have an impact on the vacuum in the beam pipe. CERN has pushed back the restart a number of times, as repair work has continued. To begin with, scientists said the LHC experiment would restart in April 2009. In May, CERN [said] that the restarted experiment could run through the winter to make up some of the lost time."

6 of 224 comments (clear)

  1. ZOMG, by Icegryphon · · Score: 5, Funny

    This is like Duke Nukem Forever all over again.
    History might not repeat itself but it sure does rhyme.

  2. It will take 3 years to come back online by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    I predict the collider turns on in 2012.

  3. Vacuum Leaks... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Funny

    ... soon they won't be able to stop them. It will be a hazardous vacuum spill, endangering all the surroundings of the LHC!!

    1. Re:Vacuum Leaks... by CopaceticOpus · · Score: 5, Funny

      Vaccuum leaks are one of those under-appreciated dangers, along with dry spills, hot freezes, and explosions of calm.

  4. At least... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Funny

    ...the delay will mean the world lives on for 2 more months ;=)
     
    Ofcourse, A(H1N1)v will prevent the startup alltogether, as key personnel falls sick at the critical time ;)
     
    Then again, the sudden reappearance of sunspots on the sun probably means the super nova will come before even that happens
    Oh no, I forgot to take my pills !

  5. Vacuum leaks are bad by OglinTatas · · Score: 4, Funny

    I had a vacuum leak once and in less than 5 seconds my house, instead of just smelling like dog hair smelled like stale month old dog hair in a vacuum bag. I also learned to empty the bag more often.

    --
    More music, fewer hits