AbstractFor future launch vehicles, lightweight cryogenic pressure vessels are required for storage of the liquid hydrogen fuel. For their structural assessment, reliable and validated failure criteria are required. The present contribution provides an overview over the results of an ongoing research activity concerned with the validation of Puck’s composite failure criterion in the cryogenic regime. In a first step, an experimental investigation on unidirectionally fiber reinforced materials on coupon level has been performed. This test campaign has been complemented by tests on small breadboard-type specimens with an angle-ply stacking sequence. The specimens were featuring holes and tapered sections to provide stress gradients and concentrations. Test were performed at ambient temperature and in a liquid Helium environment. Puck’s failure criterion has been applied and found to provide a good prediction of first ply failure in both environments.