The aim of the FCC Feasibility Study, which is scheduled to be completed in 2025, is to determine the technical and financial viability of the FCC at CERN, with a particular focus on its geological aspects, the environmental impact, the infrastructure design, the civil engineering and the detectors and the R&D for the technologies needed to ensure the efficiency and durability of the proposed colliders.

With this in mind, in 2023 CERN conducted initial assessments on the ground in order to refine the existing geological and seismic data, as well as data regarding flora and fauna for the purpose of conservation. This first phase involved a visual inspection of the areas of land concerned.

In the second phase of the Study, which has just started, the focus is on the stability of the subsoil. This is a crucial step, as the project includes plans to bury the collider approximately 200 metres underground. Before going any further with the analyses, it is vital to check the nature of the soils along the entirety of the planned route to see if they are suitable for this kind of infrastructure and to determine at exactly what depth it could be installed.

The results of these analyses will make it possible to refine the placement scenarios and determine which ones should be prioritised if the project is approved, taking into account both the environmental objectives for the areas on the surface and the underground constraints.

Based on the results of the Study, CERN’s Member States will make a decision about the project as a whole and, in particular, about the prospects for commissioning the FCC in the 2040s.