-- 1954
It
could dive longer, faster, and deeper than any submarine before it.
The
USS Nautilus, commissioned on this day in 1954, wasn't limited
in range and speed by the diesel engines of previous submarines.
Also, with a nuclear reactor, there was no need to surface to
recharge batteries.
Because
of the new-found larger range, the Nautilus was the first
submarine to travel under the Arctic ice and cross the North Pole. As
a matter of fact, in her first years of operation, the Nautilus
broke many records. There were also a few shortcomings in design that
engineers eagerly learned from; the later generations of nuclear
submarines were improved versions.
She
was retired in 1980 and now serves as a museum of submarine history
in Groton, Connecti-cut.
Watch
a video to learn about nuclear power. This one is for older
students,
and
younger kids might prefer this one.
Find
out more about nuclear submarines at How Stuff Works.
I
found this short video odd because there is no narrator—just a
musical sound track—and because, once in a while, someone is
on-camera, talking—but we don't hear what he is saying! Still, the
video does give you a great idea of the tight quarters and some of
the “bustle” of living on a nuclear submarine!
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