The President of the Russian Federation launched the technological launch of the NICA collider
On June 13, 2024, in Dubna, Moscow Region, President
Vladimir Putin launched work on the technological launch of a megascience class installation - a superconducting
accelerator complex (Nuclotron based Ion Collider fAcility). This most important stage in the implementation of the NICA megascience project marks the beginning of preparations for the physical launch of the complex, scheduled for 2024-2025. From this moment, testing of the operation of the power supplies for the superconducting magnets of the collider begins, as well as testing of the superconducting magnet of the first experimental installation of the complex -
(Multi-Purpose Detector). The start of the technological start-up of the superconducting solenoidal magnet, the main unit of the MPD installation, and the collider brings preparations for the launch of the entire NICA complex to the finish line.
During his visit to Dubna, Vladimir Putin visited the NICA accelerator complex, where, accompanied by JINR Director Academician Grigory Trubnikov, he became familiar with the technological features of assembling the heavy ion collider ring of the NICA complex. Later, after inspecting the MPD experimental facility, the President of the Russian Federation launched the technological start-up of the collider, giving the command to supply a test current to the magnetic system of the NICA complex.
In the MPD experimental pavilion, Vladimir Putin met with leading Russian and foreign scientists and recipients of mega-grants for scientific research.
The NICA project that we are talking about and which we are implementing is precisely connected with this - precisely with the knowledge of how the Universe came into being, how it developed. At first glance, this has no practical result today; this does not seem to be an applied area of research. Nevertheless, within the scope of what is happening, there is work going on here in microelectronics, in biology, and in a number of other areas. Already today, this is beginning to bring concrete results for the Russian economy and for Russian science, applied science, for areas of activity that are so necessary for people, first of all, of course, in humanitarian terms, including in the field of medicine ,” the President of the Russian Federation emphasized .
- The NICA heavy ion collider is one of the landmark megascience projects being implemented in Russia. Scientists from 30 countries, as well as the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN), are participating in the creation of the complex. The NICA project unites more than 130 scientific institutes, universities and enterprises, of which 36 represent the Russian Federation. This is 2,400 specialists, including 1,650 Russian ones.
“
I am sure that this will also benefit our partners who work here and come from other countries, because one way or another these results benefit the countries from which they came. Because we don’t lock anything, we don’t hide anything. We are open to cooperation, to using the achievements that appear thanks to your work. We are open to the results of your work being used not only in Russia, but also in other countries ,” said Vladimir Putin.
JINR Director Academician Grigory Trubnikov at a meeting of Russian President Vladimir Putin with megagrant recipients and leading scientists noted that thanks to the megagrant program, 186 foreign scientists worked in Russia, almost 1.5 thousand dissertations were defended, and more than 10 thousand scientific publications appeared.
“
This is a unique program; it has been running for more than 10 years. During this time, 345 laboratories have been created in 150 organizations, 35 countries are participating, and 186 scientists representing foreign laboratories have successfully organized research here on the territory of the Russian Federation ,” said Grigory Trubnikov.
Currently, all 206 superconducting ring arch magnets of the collider are installed at the NICA complex. Installation and testing of its main systems is underway. Power supplies for the
system of the collider, eight resonators of the high-frequency accelerating system HF2, two stations of the HF1 system, a beam vacuum chamber in the arches, a superconducting magnet MPD - all these systems are already installed in the collider tunnel.
By the end of 2024, it is planned to complete work on the creation of an accelerator complex, including channels for transporting ion beams and a collider. In December of this year, it is expected to begin technological tests of the collider with the transfer of its magnets to a superconducting state, testing of the cryogenic system and cryogenic pipelines, magneto-cryostat system, power supplies, thermometry systems, protection against SPT (superconducting transitions) and energy evacuation, vacuum system, automated control system and systems for forming magnetic field cycles.
