• N. Solyak, T.J. Peterson, V. Poloubotko, V.P. Yakovlev
  Fermilab, Batavia
• O. Brunner, E. Ciapala, T.P.R. Linnecar, J. Tuckmantel, W. Weingarten
  CERN, Geneva
• R. Calaga
  BNL, Upton, Long Island, New York

Funding: This work has been partially performed under the auspices of the US department of energy

The complex LHC crab cavity design and the beam-line configuration pose very tight constraints for the cryostat design. An initial assessment of the LHC main RF cryostat points to a new design both from the RF and engineering point of view. The cavity and tunnel constraints are discussed in detail and an intial cryostat design along with the cryogenic circuit is presented.

• A.C. Butterworth, M. E. Angoletta, L. Arnaudon, P. Baudrenghien, J. Bento, T. Bohl, O. Brunner, E. Ciapala, F. Dubouchet, G. Hagmann, W. Höfle, T.P.R. Linnecar, P. Maesen, J.C. Molendijk, E. Montesinos, J. Noirjean, A.V. Pashnin, V. Rossi, J. Sanchez-Quesada, M. Schokker, E.N. Shaposhnikova, D. Stellfeld, J. Tuckmantel, D. Valuch, U. Wehrle, F. Weierud
  CERN, Geneva
• R. Sorokoletov
  JINR, Dubna, Moscow Region

Hardware commissioning of the LHC RF system was successfully completed in time for first beams in LHC in September 2008. All cavities ware conditioned to nominal field, power systems tested and all Low level synchronization systems, cavity controllers and beam control electronics were tested and calibrated. Beam was successfully captured in ring 2, cavities phased, and a number of initial measurements made. These results are presented and tests and preparation for colliding beams in 2009 are outlined.