A double magnetic suspension is described in which the lower rotor is magnetically suspended from the upper rotor which in turn is magnetically suspended. The upper rotor may be made to surround the lower (or inner) rotor. Consequently, the effective magnetic suspension and vacuum chamber surrounding the inner rotor may be made to spin at approximately the same speed as the inner rotor (or within a few rps). This greatly reduces the rotor's deceleration when it is coasting freely.