1953 | FROM THE ARCHIVE
Nuclear, Ahoy! By John C.H. Lindberg FRSA
The first major landmark for the naval nuclear propulsion programme was 68 years ago when the land prototype for the Nautilus, the first nuclear submarine, produced power
Above: Admiral Rickover aboard USS Nautilus
Between the first successful ascent of Mount Everest and the death of King George VI, 31 May 1953 is another landmark date. In the middle of the Idaho desert, the Submarine Thermal Reactor Mark I had taken the first step towards proving the feasibility of nuclear naval propulsion – despite being as far from the ocean as it gets in North America. Under the supervision of Hyman Rickover - the ‘Father of the Nuclear Navy’ as well as the ‘Father of the Civilian Nuclear Industry’ - subsequent tests laid the foundation of the world’s first nuclear submarine, USS Nautilus, and the 700+ vessels of different types that since have been fitted with nuclear reactors. Naval reactors have played an important role around the world since the 1950s. Russian icebreakers have been the mainstay in keeping open The Northern Sea Route for shipping. Late last year, Rosatom commissioned the world’s largest icebreaker, the Arktika, and two more are under construction. The USS Carl Vinson, a Nimitz-class supercarrier, showed the versatility of nuclear-powered vessels, and how crucial they can become. Following the devastating 2010 Haiti earthquake, the carrier was deployed to Port-au-Prince to support the humanitarian relief effort, where it provided more than 757,000 litres of drinking water, using its reactors to desalinate seawater. The prospect of using a nuclear
Above: The USS Nautilus is permanently docked at the US Submarine Force Museum and Library in Groton, Connecticut Photo credit: Victor-ny
merchant fleet to ship goods around the world has also been explored. Four such vessels were built, and three of them carried commercial goods: the NS
Savannah was the first nuclear powered merchant ship in the world, the Otto Hahn travelled 463,000km on a single fuel batch of only 22kg of uranium, and the Sevmorput continues to deliver cargo in the Russian Arctic and beyond. Today, international maritime shipping is responsible for 2.5% of global emissions and emits many other pollutants, with the largest container ships emitting as much as some 50 million cars. This often-forgotten sector will, however, need to be readily decarbonised, and nuclear power offers an attractive – and more modern – alternative to returning to sails. Going further, the experiments that started in May 1953 gave birth to the civilian nuclear industry in the US and in the Western world. The Shippingport Atomic Power Station was constructed based on those experiences in the Idaho desert. The first commercial power station, it achieved criticality in December 1957 and operated until October 1982. Now we are going full circle with the inception of the first floating nuclear power plant. With the commissioning of the Akademik Lomonosov, the many benefits of nuclear power – be it affordable electricity, heating or fresh drinking water – have become unshackled. There is an exciting future for nuclear power in the naval world. Nuclear, ahoy! ■
Read more about Rickover:
https://www.neimagazine.com/ features/featurepast-present- and-future-721-12006617/
Going further, the experiments that started in May 1953 gave birth to the civilian nuclear industry in the US and in the Western world. The Shippingport Atomic Power Station was constructed based on those experiences in the Idaho desert
www.neimagazine.com | May 2021 | 11
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