- Commissioned in 1954, the USS Nautilus was the world’s first nuclear-powered submarine.
- It was the first ship to visit the North Pole and participated in the Cuban missile crisis blockade.
- Nautilus is now an exhibit at the Submarine Force Museum in Groton, Connecticut.
On January 17, 1955, the USS Nautilus transmitted a historic message: “Underway on nuclear power.”
As the world’s first nuclear-powered submarine, Nautilus could remain submerged for two weeks at a time and travel at speeds of over 20 knots, or about 23 miles per hour.
Previously, World War II submarines powered by diesel engines and electric batteries could stay underwater for just 12 to 48 hours at a time. Since their batteries only charged while surfaced, diesel-electric US Navy vessels like the USS Cobia had to move at around 2 or 3 miles per hour to conserve power and hit maximum speeds of 9 knots, or about 10 miles per hour.
Nautilus is now part of the Submarine Force Museum in Groton, Connecticut. Visitors can walk through the historic nuclear submarine and see how its crew members lived and worked while submerged up to 700 feet below the surface.
I visited the museum in March to tour Nautilus. Take a look inside.
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