Hydrogen-electric propulsion developer ZeroAvia has signed an agreement with the Korean Atomic Energy Research Institute (KAERI) to support the development and testing of composite liquid hydrogen (LH2) storage systems for aircraft. The collaboration focuses on advancing lightweight cryogenic storage technologies that are critical for enabling hydrogen-powered aviation.
Under the agreement, ZeroAvia will provide technical guidance on the design of the composite storage systems while supporting a multi-year testing program at its Liquid Hydrogen Test Centre at Cotswold Airport in the UK. The facility has been purpose-built for aircraft and component-level liquid hydrogen testing and meets ATEX and DSEAR safety standards for handling cryogenic hydrogen systems.
The program will evaluate performance and safety across multiple design stages, progressing from component validation to full storage system testing and a ground-test campaign. Composite liquid hydrogen tanks are viewed as a key enabler for hydrogen aviation because they offer significant weight reductions compared with conventional metallic tanks while maintaining structural integrity under cryogenic conditions.
John Gallagher, Head of Hydrogen Management Systems at ZeroAvia, said the team and facility built at ZeroAvia represents a unique global capability for performing safe, comprehensive tests of liquid hydrogen systems, from key components to full storage systems, across a variety of sectors and applications, and that the partnership with KAERI promises to significantly advance liquid hydrogen aviation capabilities.
As the aviation sector explores hydrogen as a pathway to zero-emission flight, advanced composite storage technologies are emerging as a critical component in addressing the volumetric and weight challenges associated with liquid hydrogen fuel systems.
Source - ZeroAvia
