Near Atomic City, giant GE turbofan nuclear aircraft engines stand as mute testimony to a canceled bomber project, Idaho, USA.
A nuclear aircraft is an aircraft powered by nuclear energy. Research into them was pursued during the Cold War by the United States and the Soviet Union as they would presumably allow a country to keep nuclear bombers in the air for extremely long periods of time, a useful tactic for nuclear deterrence. Neither country created any operational nuclear aircraft. The Oak Ridge National Laboratory conducted research (Aircraft Reactor Experiment) to produce a nuclear powered aircraft. Two General Electric turbofan engines were successfully powered to nearly full thrust using two shielded reactors. The two engines complete with reactor system are currently located at the EBR-1 facility south of the Idaho National Laboratory. Atomic City was called "Midway" until 1950, as it is halfway between the towns of Blackfoot and Arco. The town had a larger population when the neighboring Idaho National Laboratory site was newer, known as the "National Reactor Testing Station" until 1975. There is one store and one bar in Atomic City; the store no longer sells gasoline, due to new laws pertaining to its underground gas tanks. Most of the people who were raised in the town have now passed on, and many of the current residents are retired. There is an RV park on the south end of town with full hook-ups, and stock car races are held in the summer.
Size: 4256px × 2831px
Location: Idaho National Laboratory, EBR-1 Facility, Idaho, United States, America, USA
Photo credit: © M L Pearson / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: america, education, ge, idaho, tourism, travel, usa
