CB&I has achieved a significant milestone in the advancement of large-scale liquid hydrogen (LH2) storage, successfully completing the first fill of its LH2 test-tank utilizing non-vacuum insulation technology at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) Hydrogen Test Facility (HTF).

Leveraging more than six decades of experience in cryogenic insulation and LH2 storage, CB&I is developing a pathway to lower-cost, large-scale LH2 storage through innovative non-vacuum insulation technology. Announced in 2025, the program brings together CB&I, Shell, NASA, GenH2, and the University of Houston to develop and validate affordable, scalable LH2 storage solutions in a real-world operating environment. The technology is being demonstrated through a CB&I-designed and constructed tank integrated into NASA’s HTF. Non-vacuum insulation technology offers a compelling opportunity to reduce capital costs for high-throughput LH2 storage applications.

CB&I’s 20 m3 demonstration tank triples the total LH2 storage capacity of the HTF and will be refilled as frequently as once per day. This enhanced capability creates a unique platform for accelerated testing of insulation systems through repeated thermal cycles while simultaneously expanding the HTF’s capacity to conduct long-duration LH2 tests. The demonstration tank is fully integrated with the facility’s existing LH2 infrastructure.

“The successful first fill of our demonstration tank marks an important step toward validating a more cost-effective approach to large-scale liquid hydrogen storage,” says Yogesh Meher, Vice President of Engineering at CB&I. “By demonstrating this technology under real operating conditions at NASA’s Hydrogen Test Facility, we are accelerating the path to commercial deployment and helping enable the hydrogen economy at scale.”

Over the coming months, NASA, CB&I and Shell will evaluate the performance of the non-vacuum insulation system, generating critical data to support the commercialization and deployment of large-scale LH2 storage technologies.

CB&I has a long history of supporting America’s space program and advancing hydrogen infrastructure. The company built the first LH2 storage sphere in 1960 for NASA’s Gemini and Apollo programs. Since then, CB&I has constructed more than 130 LH2 storage spheres worldwide, including the world’s largest LH2 storage sphere, completed in 2022 to support NASA’s Artemis program.

About CB&I

CB&I delivers integrated storage and asset‑management solutions that help customers operate safely, reliably, and efficiently across the lifecycle of their facilities. Through our two global business units – Storage Solutions, the world leader in tanks, terminals, and storage systems, and Asset Solutions, a leading provider of operations, management, wells and decommissioning services – we combine technical excellence with execution capability to extend asset life, optimize performance, and maximize value. CB&I is owned by a consortium of financial investors led by Mason Capital Management LLC.