Cryocooler Market Size and Share
Cryocooler Market Analysis by Mordor Intelligence
The cryocooler market stood at USD 3.47 billion in 2025 and is forecast to reach USD 4.93 billion by 2030, advancing at a 7.30% CAGR during 2025-2030. Rising demand from space exploration, quantum computing and helium-free MRI installations anchors the underlying growth trajectory [1]NASA, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, “Small Spacecraft Technology State of the Art 2024,” nasa.gov. Long-life space cryocoolers enable expanding small-satellite constellations, while sub-4 K dilution pre-coolers are becoming indispensable for quantum processors [3]Philips, Philips Healthcare, “The Drive Towards Helium-Free MRI Operations,” documents.philips.com. In healthcare, hospitals in tier-2 cities across emerging economies deploy helium-light MRI systems that rely on sealed, closed-loop cooling to sidestep supply-chain exposure to liquid helium [2]ISECG, International Space Exploration Coordination Group, “Global Exploration Roadmap 2024,” globalspaceexploration.org. At an application level, the proliferation of soldier-borne infrared (IR) sensors and next-generation optronic detectors is accelerating demand for compact Stirling coolers that balance size, weight and power (SWaP) constraints.
- By cryocooler type, linear Stirling units led with 63% of cryocooler market share in 2024 ResearchGate; pulse-tube systems post the fastest CAGR at 9.4% through 2030.
- By temperature range, 50-100 K held 42% revenue in 2024 NASA; the ultra-low 1-20 K band is expanding at a 9.2% CAGR to 2030.
- By operating cycle, closed-loop designs captured 68% of cryocooler market size in 2024 and will grow at 10.0% CAGR to 2030.
- By end user, military & defense contributed 37% revenue in 2024 DoD; quantum computing labs represent the fastest-growing vertical at 8.6% CAGR.
- By region, North America held 38% revenue in 2024 Treasury; Asia-Pacific is the fastest-growing geography, recording a 9.5% CAGR through 2030.
Global Cryocooler Market Trends and Insights
Drivers Impact Analysis
Driver | (~) % Impact on CAGR Forecast | Geographic Relevance | Impact Timeline |
---|---|---|---|
Surge in demand for compact cryogenic cooling for IR sensors in soldier-borne devices | +1.2% | North America, Europe, APAC defense markets | Medium term (2-4 years) |
Rapid expansion of small-satellite constellations requiring long-life space cryocoolers | +1.8% | Global, with concentration in North America and Europe | Long term (≥ 4 years) |
Growing MRI system installations in emerging economies' tier-2 cities | +1.1% | APAC, Latin America, Middle East and Africa | Medium term (2-4 years) |
LNG peak-shaving projects in North America and China driving large-capacity GM systems | +0.9% | North America & China, spillover to global LNG markets | Medium term (2-4 years) |
Quantum-tech scale-up needs sub-4K dilution-pre-coolers | +1.5% | North America, Europe, APAC quantum hubs | Long term (≥ 4 years) |
Defense offset programs fostering domestic cryocooler production (India, UAE) | +0.8% | India, UAE, with regional spillover effects | Long term (≥ 4 years) |
Source: Mordor Intelligence
Surge in demand for compact cryogenic cooling for IR sensors in soldier-borne devices
Military modernization programs are intensifying the need for miniaturized cryocoolers that cool IR focal-plane arrays without burdening soldiers with excess weight. European Defence Fund calls for advanced optronic detectors, underscoring enduring investment in soldier systems. Suppliers such as SOFRADIR are improving High-Operating-Temperature detector architectures that tolerate >100 K, thereby shrinking cooler power budgets. Ongoing wear-resistance research into piston-seal coatings enables longer duty cycles for linear compressors SPIE. Finally, defense offset rules in India and UAE are building domestic production bases that could lower unit costs and reshape traditional export flows.
Rapid expansion of small-satellite constellations requiring long-life space cryocoolers
SmallSats increasingly integrate mechanical coolers to support hyperspectral imagers and science payloads that demand consistent sub-90 K focal-plane temperatures throughout multiyear missions . ESA’s Joule-Thomson cooler advances offer vibration-free operation essential for optical stability . Northrop Grumman has already fielded 12 long-life pulse-tube and Stirling units on orbit, proving lifetime goals beyond 12 years . The Global Exploration Roadmap highlights the role of cryogenic systems in sustaining lunar habitats and Mars assets. NASA’s FY 2026 budget earmarks USD 8.3 billion for exploration, part of which funds advanced cryogenic propellant management that depends on reliable low-temperature hardware .
Growing MRI system installations in emerging economies’ tier-2 cities
Hospital expansion across Asia, Latin America and Africa relies on helium-light scanners that minimize supply-chain exposure to scarce cryogens. Philips’ BlueSeal magnet uses only 7 liters of sealed helium, eliminating planned refills and cutting lifecycle costs. India-based Voxelgrids claims a 60% power reduction on its 1.5 T system, aligning with grid-constrained healthcare settings . The National Academies stress that ultrahigh-field MRI (>7 T) heightens cooling complexity as magnet homogeneity becomes more sensitive to thermal drift. Sumitomo Heavy Industries, the leading supplier of cryocoolers for MRI, expects medical growth to lift industrial-machinery revenue in 2026 .
Quantum-tech scale-up needs sub-4 K dilution pre-coolers
IBM’s Project Goldeneye cryostat proves that thousands of qubits require colossal cooling capacity down to 25 mK. NIST laboratory work shows that optimized helium flow in pulse-tube pre-coolers can slash energy draw by 240 million kWh yearly. A new 3He/4He phase-separation refrigerator achieves a 585 mK base while cutting helium-3 inventory to 2 liters, easing isotope supply pressure . ULVAC and Bluefors’ MOU with Japan’s AIST targets next-generation dilution refrigerators that blend pulse-tube stages with novel regenerator materials . The EuroQuIC roadmap identifies cryogenic capacity as a decisive bottleneck to continent-scale quantum deployment.
Restraints Impact Analysis
Restraint | (~) % Impact on CAGR Forecast | Geographic Relevance | Impact Timeline |
---|---|---|---|
Heat-lift limitations below 10W in <5 kg platforms | -0.8% | Global, particularly affecting portable military and space applications | Short term (≤ 2 years) |
Helium-3 supply bottleneck for sub-1K applications | -1.2% | Global, with acute impact on quantum computing and research applications | Medium term (2-4 years) |
Vibro-acoustic noise non-compliance for airborne EO payloads | -0.6% | Global aerospace and defense markets | Short term (≤ 2 years) |
Capex premium of pulse-tube over GM for >100 W heat-lift | -0.7% | Global, particularly affecting industrial and large-scale applications | Medium term (2-4 years) |
Source: Mordor Intelligence
Heat-lift limitations below 10 W in <5 kg platforms
Miniaturized coolers face physical limits where decreasing swept volumes constrain heat-lift, challenging designers of soldier-portable IR sights and CubeSat payloads . Even micron-scale seal wear can degrade Stirling efficiency within months of field deployment. Research into miniature free-piston Stirling devices shows gains but still trades off between vibration and cooling power . NASA’s assessments echo the same dilemma for on-orbit CubeSats that must operate within tight mass-power envelopes .
Helium-3 supply bottleneck for sub-1 K applications
Helium-3 availability depends on tritium decay from nuclear stockpiles, leaving quantum compute fabs exposed to long-term isotope scarcity. Romania’s CANDU reactors represent one new recovery path, yet expected supply translates to only USD 200 million value by 2029, far below forecast demand . Alternative solutions—such as Lake Shore’s Infinite Helium closed-cycle architectures—reduce consumption but cannot fully substitute isotope use . Consequently, cooling system designers are investing in architectures that minimize helium-3 volumes or eliminate it entirely through phase-separation techniques.
Segment Analysis
By Cryocooler Type: Stirling dominance faces pulse-tube challenge
Linear Stirling units accounted for 63% of cryocooler market share in 2024, reflecting legacy adoption across defense sensor suites. Pulse-tube coolers, although representing a smaller slice, are projected to grow at 9.4% CAGR to 2030 as vibration-free operation becomes critical for quantum hardware. The cryocooler industry is therefore tuning regenerator materials and inertance tube designs that boost pulse-tube efficiency while retaining reliability. Meanwhile, Gifford-McMahon and hybrid GM-JT devices like Sumitomo’s RJT-100 serve large heat-lift duties in LNG and superconducting magnets . Overall, this rivalry signals a gradual rebalancing of the cryocooler market toward low-vibration technologies that accommodate emerging noise-sensitive payloads.
Second-generation Brayton cycle solutions continue to address aerospace subsystems with unique pressure-ratio demands; however, cost and complexity cap broader uptake. Modular design philosophies increasingly allow manufacturers to swap Stirling or pulse-tube cores into common compressor housings, shortening development times and fulfilling diversified program needs. The shift illustrates how OEMs pursue platform-agnostic strategies that protect margins as application mix evolves within the cryocooler market.
Note: Segment shares of all individual segments available upon report purchase
By Temperature Range: Ultra-low temperatures drive innovation
Applications operating between 50 K and 100 K held 42% revenue in 2024, underpinned by MRI, IR sensing and satellite instruments. Conversely, the 1-20 K niche is expanding at a 9.2% CAGR through 2030 as millikelvin regimes underpin superconducting qubit operation. This shift propels targeted R&D into high-conductivity lead-based regenerator matrices that maintain temperature gradients at millikelvin levels. Liquid-nitrogen class (77 K) cooling still dominates laboratory cryostats, yet its growth lags due to maturing demand. The cryocooler market size for 1-20 K applications is forecast to widen as quantum fabs scale pilot lines, reinforcing the strategic imperative for helium-economizing architectures.
Innovations such as the phase-separation refrigerator achieving 585 mK base with tiny helium-3 inventory highlight a path to unlock commercial throughput without crippling isotope demand. Simultaneously, space missions require long-term stability in the 20-40 K range to cool mid-infrared detectors; pulse-tube coolers integrated with Stirling precoolers remain preferred solutions in those regimes.
By Operating Cycle: Closed-loop systems dominate efficiency demands
Closed-loop architectures contributed 68% of cryocooler market size in 2024 and will sustain a 10.0% CAGR, buoyed by helium-price volatility and sustainability mandates. Sealed designs remove the logistics burden of gas replenishment, a decisive factor in remote observatories and on-orbit spacecraft.’ BlueSeal MRI platform illustrates the commercial payoff—only 7 liters of helium, fully sealed, securing uptime even in rural hospitals Philips. In contrast, open-loop units maintain relevance in short-duration experiments where capex dictates cooler choice. Suppliers now bundle gas-recovery skids to retrofit legacy open-loop installations, extending asset life spans amid resource constraints.
Future differentiation will revolve around digital twin monitoring that predicts seal degradation and micro-leaks, thereby extending maintenance intervals. Competitive intensity is likely to centre on software-enabled service contracts rather than hardware alone, realigning profit pools across the cryocooler industry.
By Heat-Exchanger Type: Regenerative efficiency drives market leadership
Regenerative designs captured 71% revenue in 2024 and are advancing at 8.5% CAGR. Their porous matrices store and release thermal energy with each pressure cycle, boosting volumetric efficiency critical for weight-sensitive platforms. Recent breakthroughs in rare-earth regenerator alloys raise volumetric heat capacity, permitting shorter columns and lower pressure drops. Recuperative exchangers, by contrast, persist in ruggedised applications where simplicity trumps peak performance. As the cryocooler market migrates toward pulse-tube architectures, regenerator advancements remain the core lever to elevate system coefficient of performance (COP).

By End-User Vertical: Defense leadership challenged by quantum-computing emergence
Defense remained the largest user at 37% revenue in 2024, buoyed by procurement of high-definition IR cameras and seeker heads. However, quantum data-centre deployments are forecast to outpace all other verticals through 2030, expanding at 8.6% CAGR. Space agencies continue to drive bespoke designs tailored to specific instruments, ensuring a steady backlog for incumbent aerospace suppliers. In healthcare, emerging-economy MRI adoption depends on helium-light systems, giving medical OEMs a unique pull on cooler specification. Industrial LNG projects employ large GM or Brayton units to reclaim cold energy, opening a cost-advantaged niche in China’s coastal regas plants.
Geography Analysis
Cryocooler Market in Rest of the World
North America retained 38% of 2024 revenue on the back of USD 4.4 billion in U.S. defense R&D that targets next-generation sensor payloads requiring embedded cryocoolers . NASA’s USD 8.3 billion exploration systems budget also channels funds to long-life space coolers . Canada’s aerospace cluster in Quebec supplies compressor sub-assemblies, while Mexico’s maquiladora corridor supports precision machining for regenerator housings. The U.S. Treasury’s 2024 rules barring outbound investment in Chinese quantum cooling triggered an uptick in domestic foundry commitments and joint ventures .
Asia-Pacific posts the fastest growth at 9.5% CAGR, led by China’s LNG cold-energy initiatives and quantum drive under its 2024 industrial policy. Ningbo’s cold-energy power plant demonstrates national capability to harvest cryogenic exergy from imported LNG. Japan pushes forward via AIST and Bluefors’ dilution refrigerator partnership, bolstered by semiconductor revitalisation grants. India’s defense-offset rules obligate foreign primes to source components locally, accelerating a nascent manufacturing ecosystem for miniature Stirlings targeting soldier optics.
Europe maintains robust share courtesy of ESA missions and the EuroQuIC consortium’s public-funded quantum roadmap. Germany’s precision engineering sector underwrites regenerator R&D, while France’s Thales integrates pulse-tube coolers into space cameras. The European Defence Fund’s 2025 call topics ensure recurring demand for soldier-borne thermal imagers that require efficient cooling. The UK’s STFC campus leverages public-private partnerships to expand helium-recovery infrastructure, aligning with national net-zero targets. Sanctions on Russian aerospace imports reroute component sourcing towards intra-EU suppliers, subtly lifting average selling prices within the cryocooler market.

Competitive Landscape
The cryocooler market is moderately fragmented but consolidating. Bluefors’ 2023 acquisition of Cryomech married dilution-refrigerator expertise with high-capacity pulse-tube technology, creating a multi-continental manufacturing footprint and broadening addressable verticals. Sumitomo Heavy Industries defends leadership in medical and semiconductor lithography by allocating JPY 25 billion (USD 160 million) to R&D through 2026 . Northrop Grumman leverages deep-space heritage to maintain sole-source status on certain NASA payloads, while start-ups such as Physike and ZL Cryogenics in China aim to break Western dominance with 400 µW cryogen-free dilution units.
Competition increasingly revolves around application-specific customization rather than generic performance metrics. For example, Lake Shore Cryotronics positions service contracts and helium-management solutions as differentiators, locking in recurring revenue streams. Meanwhile, Chart Industries cross-sells cryogenic storage tanks and process plants, bundling thermal-cycle know-how to downstream LNG operators. Geopolitics plays an outsized role as U.S. export controls force Chinese quantum players to source domestic cooling hardware, accelerating indigenous innovation but limiting global tech diffusion .
Looking forward, suppliers that embed digital analytics and predictive maintenance into cooler fleets are best placed to capture value as reliability metrics become procurement gatekeepers. Concurrently, partnership models—such as ULVAC’s joint development with AIST—highlight a shift toward co-innovation ecosystems to share rising development costs in ultra-low temperature domains.
Cryocooler Industry Leaders
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Sumitomo Heavy Industries
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Northrop Grumman
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Cryomech (Bluefors)
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Thales Group
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Sunpower (AMETEK)
- *Disclaimer: Major Players sorted in no particular order

Recent Industry Developments
- March 2025: ULVAC announced development of a next-generation dilution refrigerator to strengthen its quantum-technology portfolio
- February 2025: Sumitomo Heavy Industries projected FY 2025 sales rebound on semiconductor and energy-plant demand expected to bolster its cryogenic segment
- January 2025: Bluefors and AIST signed an MOU to co-develop advanced dilution refrigeration, underpinning Japan’s quantum ecosystem
- January 2025: U.S. Treasury issued final rules restricting investment in Chinese quantum cooling supply chains, prompting domestic capacity build-outs
Global Cryocooler Market Report Scope
Cryocoolers are devices that are designed to reach cryogenic temperatures, typically below 120 Kelvin (-153 °C or -243 °F). They are used in applications where extremely low temperatures are required, such as scientific research, medical imaging (MRI), and space technology. The impact of macroeconomic trends on the market is also covered under the scope of the study. Furthermore, the factors that may affect the market's evolution in the near future, such as drivers and constraints, have been covered in the study.
The cryocooler market is segmented by end-user vertical (space, healthcare, military, commercial, transportation, and other end-user verticals) and geography (North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and Rest of the World). The market sizes and forecasts are provided in terms of value (USD) for all the above segments.
By Cryocooler Type | Stirling | ||
Gifford-McMahon | |||
Pulse-Tube | |||
Joule-Thomson | |||
Brayton | |||
By Temperature Range | 1 K- 20 K | ||
20 K - 77 K | |||
77 K -200 K | |||
> 200 K | |||
By Operating Cycle | Closed-Loop | ||
Open-Loop | |||
By Heat-Exchanger Type | Regenerative | ||
Recuperative | |||
By End-user Vertical | Space | ||
Healthcare | |||
Military and Defense | |||
Commercial and Industrial | |||
Energy and Power | |||
Transportation | |||
Research and Academic | |||
By Geography | North America | United States | |
Canada | |||
Mexico | |||
South America | Brazil | ||
Argentina | |||
Chile | |||
Rest of South America | |||
Europe | Germany | ||
United Kingdom | |||
France | |||
Italy | |||
Spain | |||
Netherlands | |||
Russia | |||
Rest of Europe | |||
Asia-Pacific | China | ||
Japan | |||
India | |||
South Korea | |||
Australia and New Zealand | |||
ASEAN | |||
Rest of Asia-Pacific | |||
Middle East and Africa | Middle East | ||
Africa |
Stirling |
Gifford-McMahon |
Pulse-Tube |
Joule-Thomson |
Brayton |
1 K- 20 K |
20 K - 77 K |
77 K -200 K |
> 200 K |
Closed-Loop |
Open-Loop |
Regenerative |
Recuperative |
Space |
Healthcare |
Military and Defense |
Commercial and Industrial |
Energy and Power |
Transportation |
Research and Academic |
North America | United States |
Canada | |
Mexico | |
South America | Brazil |
Argentina | |
Chile | |
Rest of South America | |
Europe | Germany |
United Kingdom | |
France | |
Italy | |
Spain | |
Netherlands | |
Russia | |
Rest of Europe | |
Asia-Pacific | China |
Japan | |
India | |
South Korea | |
Australia and New Zealand | |
ASEAN | |
Rest of Asia-Pacific | |
Middle East and Africa | Middle East |
Africa |
Key Questions Answered in the Report
What is the current size of the cryocooler market?
– The cryocooler market was valued at USD 3.47 billion in 2025.
How will helium scarcity influence future demand?
Closed-loop and helium-economising designs are expected to capture share as helium-3 supply bottlenecks threaten sub-1 K applications
Why are pulse-tube cryocoolers growing so fast?
Pulse-tube coolers avoid moving parts at the cold tip, delivering vibration-free performance demanded by quantum computing and sensitive space optics
Which is the fastest growing region in Cryocooler Market?
Asia Pacific is estimated to grow at the highest CAGR over the forecast period (2025-2030).
Which region offers the fastest growth through 2030?
Asia-Pacific is projected to register a 9.5% CAGR, underpinned by China’s LNG and quantum investments and Japan’s national quantum roadmap
What strategic moves are industry leaders making?
Bluefors expanded through the Cryomech acquisition, while Sumitomo commits JPY 25 billion to R&D to defend its medical cryocooler stronghold
Page last updated on: June 30, 2025