Utilizing a thermo-acoustic emission (AE) technique, a study on detection and evaluation of microfractures in cross-ply laminate composites was performed. Fiber breakages and matrix fractures formed by a cryogenic cooling at $-191^{circ}C$ were observed with ultrasonic C-scan, optical and scanning electron microscopy. Those microfractures were monitored in a non-destructive in-situ state as three different types of thermo-AE signals classified on the basis of Fast-Fourier Transform and Short-Time Fourier Transform. Thus, it was concluded that real-time estimation of microfracture processes being formed during cryogenic cooling could be accomplished by monitoring such different types of thermo-AEs in each time-stage and then by analyzing thermo-AE behaviors for the respective AE types on the basis of the AE signal analysis results obtained during thermal heating and cooling load cycles.