The TFTR horizontal x‐ray crystal spectrometer has been improved by installation of &ggr; and neutron shielding and is now operating in the TFTR Test Cell up to the presently maximum neutron production rates of 2×1016neutrons/s. Further optimization by using a modified detector may assure operation of the spectrometer during the DT phase when TFTR is covered by an igloo. The instrument is set up for simultaneous observation of the entire satellite spectrum of Nixxvii, and it provides data on the time evolution of the central ion temperature and the central plasma rotation velocity. Ion temperatures of 20–30 keV have been measured under ‘‘supershot’’ conditions. The highest rotation velocity observed with unidirectional injection was 1.1×106m/s.