At its Future Propulsion Test Facility in Cologne, engineers conducted cryogenic tests in early 2026 to study how liquid hydrogen could be used as a fuel for aircraft. 

These experiments pushed systems to around −253°C (−423°F), the temperature at which hydrogen becomes liquid and can be stored efficiently for aviation use.

The focus of these tests is one of the biggest challenges in hydrogen aviation: safely transporting super-cold liquid hydrogen from onboard tanks through fuel lines and into engines without leaks, material stress, or energy loss. Interestingly, some of the engineering concepts draw from **cryogenic fuel handling techniques already used in shipping and space industries**, showing how cross-industry innovation is helping accelerate progress.

Hydrogen offers significant potential as a zero-carbon aviation fuel at the point of use, but significant hurdles remain, including storage, infrastructure, and aircraft redesign. 

Projects like this are part of a broader push across Europe to make hydrogen-powered flight viable in the coming decades.