EBR-1 Site Entrance (Arco, ID)

The main entrance to the site is about 18-miles southeast of the tiny town of Arco, just off US Highway 20/26. The remoteness was intentional...both for safety and secrecy purposes. The solitary mountain seen in this shot (and a few others in this album) is that of Big Southern Butte (7,560')...

Experimental Breeder Reactor No. 1

A view of the grounds, with the EBR-1 building on the right and the "Aircraft Nuclear Propulsion Project" displays across the parking lot to the left...

Experimental Breeder Reactor No. 1

Construction began on the Reactor No. 1 building in 1949. The desire at the time was to determine if a nuclear reaction could be used for peaceful purposes, such as electricity production. The reactor was installed at the facility in 1951. On December 20th of that year the theory of nuclear power became reality as four lightbulbs were lit using energy from the reactor. A couple years later, on June 4th of 1953, another breakthrough occurred. Plutonium was successfully "bred" from uranium in the reactor...in short the reactor was now creating more atomic matter than it was using. Decommissioned in 1964, the site was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1966 and then opened to the public for tours in 1975. Unfortunately, thanks once again to COVID, the interior was closed on our visit so we had to content ourselves with views of the exterior...

Experimental Breeder Reactor No. 1

Construction began on the Reactor No. 1 building in 1949. The desire at the time was to determine if a nuclear reaction could be used for peaceful purposes, such as electricity production. The reactor was installed at the facility in 1951. On December 20th of that year the theory of nuclear power became reality as four lightbulbs were lit using energy from the reactor. A couple years later, on June 4th of 1953, another breakthrough occurred. Plutonium was successfully "bred" from uranium in the reactor...in short the reactor was now creating more atomic matter than it was using. Decommissioned in 1964, the site was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1966 and then opened to the public for tours in 1975. Unfortunately, thanks once again to COVID, the interior was closed on our visit so we had to content ourselves with views of the exterior...

"Aircraft Nuclear Propulsion Project"

"These giant metal structures are test stands containing atomic jet engines. They are remnants of a joint U.S. Air Force and Atomic Energy Commission to build a nuclear-powered airplane. When the program began in the early 1950's, no one knew for sure whether a nuclear reactor could power an airplane engine. Engineers designed a series of three 'Heat Transfer Reactor Experiments' (HTRE's) to prove the principle. The experiments took place in these test stands. From the parking lot, HTRE-1 ("Heater One"), later converted to HTRE-2 ("Heater Two"), is on the left. (HTRE-3 aka. "Heater Three" is on the right) The next step would have been tests using an actual aircraft. But many leading scientists and officials opposed the program, believing it unsafe and unnecessary. Nobel physicist Hans Bethe and Air Force General James Doolittle urged President Eisenhower to end the program. A billion dollars and nearly 10 years later, President Kennedy finally cancelled it."--from site interpretive sign

GE Diesel Electric "Shielded" Locomotive

This 215-ton, specially designed, lead-shielded locomotive was built to move men and material for the Aircraft Nuclear Propulsion (ANP) Project. It could carry 12 persons and could tow 350-tons at speeds of up to 5mph. "This locomotive, running on four tracks, would have towed the radioactive airplane, which was never built, inside the hangar, which was built, and demolished when the project was cancelled in 1961. The engineer would sit in the cylindrical cab, looking out the thick window." -- from site interpretive sign

HTRE-3 "Heater Three"

HTRE-3 or “Heater Three” was built more like an aircraft with the reactor, engine, shielding and heat transfer systems in a horizontal configuration. Eventually the reactor could start and run two turbojet engines at a time. “The engine itself, including the reactor, was less than ten feet long. What you see is the framework that was needed to make sure the reactor did not take off across the desert. But the framework also contained many instruments to measure the performance of the reactor and jet engine.” Jay Kuntze, Aircraft Nuclear Propulsion physicist and engineer. --from site interpretive sign

HTRE-3 "Heater Three"

HTRE-3 or “Heater Three” was built more like an aircraft with the reactor, engine, shielding and heat transfer systems in a horizontal configuration. Eventually the reactor could start and run two turbojet engines at a time. “The engine itself, including the reactor, was less than ten feet long. What you see is the framework that was needed to make sure the reactor did not take off across the desert. But the framework also contained many instruments to measure the performance of the reactor and jet engine.” Jay Kuntze, Aircraft Nuclear Propulsion physicist and engineer. --from site interpretive sign

HTRE 1&2 "Heater One" and "Heater Two"

The Heat Transfer Reactor No. 1 (HTRE-1 or “Heater One”) was part of the Air Force’s effort to develop a nuclear-powered aircraft. In a ground test, the reactor went to full power in January 1956 and demonstrated the principle of nuclear-powered turbojet engines. HTRE-1 was converted to HTRE-2 (“Heater Two”) and it became the world’s largest materials test reactor. HTRE-2 subjected test fuels to neutron flux and 2800˚ temperatures, advancing the state-of-the-art for materials. --from site interpretive sign

HTRE 1&2 "Heater One" and "Heater Two"

The Heat Transfer Reactor No. 1 (HTRE-1 or “Heater One”) was part of the Air Force’s effort to develop a nuclear-powered aircraft. In a ground test, the reactor went to full power in January 1956 and demonstrated the principle of nuclear-powered turbojet engines. HTRE-1 was converted to HTRE-2 (“Heater Two”) and it became the world’s largest materials test reactor. HTRE-2 subjected test fuels to neutron flux and 2800˚ temperatures, advancing the state-of-the-art for materials. --from site interpretive sign