#Nuclear time locations portable#

Source: US Army Corps of Engineers, SM-1 Deactivated Nuclear Power Plant Decommissioning Project 1Ĭonstruction at Fort Belvoir for SM-1 in 1956 The '1' indicated it was the first of its design. The alternatives were Low (up to 1 megawatt) or High (over 10 megawatts) power. The 'M' indicated it produced medium power (1 to 10 megawatts).

#Nuclear time locations portable#

The 'S' in the code SM-1 indicated the reactor was Stationary, not Portable or Mobile. The first reactor was called the Army Package Power Reactor, then Stationary Medium Power Plant No. Cooling water was provided by the Potomac River. It moved magnets inside coiled wires in order to generate electricity. The nuclear fuel was unusual, but the turbine was a conventional design.

Source: Wikipedia, Army Nuclear Power Programīoth nuclear power plants relied upon fission from uranium enriched with the U-235 isotope to generate heat, which was used to pressurize water and spin a turbine. Army Engineer Reactors Group managed the Army Nuclear Power Program at Fort Belvoir The SM-1 reactor was built on land, and the MH-1A reactor was installed in an old ship anchored initially in Gunston Cove. The Corps tested two small nuclear power plants at Gunston Cove on the base. The Army Nuclear Power Program was headquartered at Fort Belvoir, the home of the Corps of Engineers. The US Army was given responsibility for developing small nuclear power plants that could support land-based facilities for the Army, Navy and Air Force. The US Maritime Commission completed the only nuclear-powered commercial ship, the NS Savannah, in 1959. The Department of Defense gave the US Navy responsibility to develop nuclear propulsion systems for submarines and surface vessels, and the US Air Force managed nuclear warheads on ballistic missiles.

Source: US Army Corps of Engineers, SM-1 Nuclear Power Plant Virginia's first nuclear reactor, SM-1, was located under the containment dome at Fort Belvoir SM-1 Nuclear Reactor at Fort Belvoir SM-1 Nuclear Reactor at Fort Belvoir