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General Electric HTRE-3 Nuclear Jet Engine
Nuclear Jet Engine
The program’s goal was to create a nuclear reactor small enough to fit into an aircraft yet powerful enough to provide the necessary thrust while ensuring the safety of the crew from radiation, a significant engineering challenge that shaped much of the research and development efforts in the subsequent years. The technological rivalry with the Soviet Union, exemplified by the launch of Sputnik 1, along with continued robust support from the Air Force, sustained the nuclear aircraft program despite the divided oversight between the Department of Defense and the Atomic Energy Commission. Despite the cancellation, the insights gained from the ARE program inspired scientists and engineers at ORNL to propose a preliminary design to the Atomic Energy Commission for a 30 MWth experimental MSR to explore its potential as a civilian power station concept.
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